UC-NI
SB 3D? M3fl
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
FROM THE LIBRARY OF
COUNT EGON CAESAR CORTI
THE
FRUIT GROWER'S INSTRUCTOR;
OR,
a practical
ON THE
CULTIVATION AND TREATMENT
OF
FRUIT TREES:
CONTAINING
A DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE BEST FRUITS NOW IN CULTIVATION,
A FULL DESCRIPTION OF
THE APPLE FLY,
COMMONLY CALLED
The American Blight, which causes the Canker in Apple Trees,
WITH AN EFFECTUAL REMEDY :
IT WILL BE FOUND EQUALLY USEFUL TO THE GENTLEMAN, THE
GARDENER, OR THE NURSERYMAN ; AND PARTICULARLY
ADAPTED FOR THOSE WHO CULTIVATE THEIR
OWN GARDENS.
THE WHOLE WRITTEN ENTIRELY PROM PUACIICE,
BY G. BLISS.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR J, RIDGWAY, 169, PICCADILLY.
1825.
LONDON:
SHACKELL AND ARROWSMITH, JOHNSON'S-COURT, FLEKT-STRBBT.
PREFACE.
IT is necessary to prefix a Preface to a work
of this nature, to give the reader such informa-
tion as may be useful during its perusal ; to
explain and point out the nature and arrange-
ments of its principal parts, likewise to duly
prepare him for what the work contains,
which is of great advantage both to the author
and himself.
It often happens in works of this sort, as
well as in many others, that quotations are
made from other authors in order to sanction
and gloss over their own productions, some-
times of praise, sometimes of ridicule, just as
it may suit the passage or parts alluded to ;
but by cautioning my readers against inex-
perienced authors, I do not intend throughout
this publication to call any one name in par-
a2
IV PREFACE.
ticular in question, as, perhaps, much which
has been written has been to the best of the
writer's judgment. But when a person is
about to become a fruit grower, (particularly
on an extensive scale,) he ought to be cautious
how he follows the advice of inexperienced or
theoretical persons ; for I have read many
works professing to treat on horticultural and
gardening subjects, which are more calculated
to amuse than enlighten : there is a difference
between rules of treatment by which certain
effects can be insured, and hereditary customs^
(if I may use the term) by which advantages
may accidentally follow ; yet the sticklers, nay
almost worshippers, of these latter, will not
hesitate to attack the experienced man, be-
cause, in one instance out of a hundred, he
has -happened to succeed contrary to the
advice of the former.
But the treatment of fruit trees altogether
requires k>ng practice and close application ;
and I intend in this small treatise to explain
so clearly the necessary treatment of fruit
PREFACE. V
trees (particularly apples,) that every one who
is able to read it may understand. — I might
fill three volumes twice the size, and not
convey more practical information to the
reader than will be found in this small book ;
and those who follow its instructions need not
fear success, as I do not intend to speak of any
thing which I have not fully proved. This work
will be confined to that profitable and beautiful
part of horticulture, the most leading fruits cul-
tivated in this country ; among which I shall
treat largely on apples, they being of all fruits
the most profitable and useful, and I may add
the most beautiful, for the bloom in Spring is
extremely handsome, and the fruit when ripe
the same. Indeed it may be denominated with
strict propriety, a truly British fruit, being the
most staple commodity of the kind grown in
England ; and unlike any other, may be ob-
tained in perfection during any month through-
out the year.
It is impossible to write a book that will apply
to every particular case, and as this is not in-
PREFACE.
tended as an introduction to Botany, or a
Gardener's Dictionary, I think it would be
wrong to confuse the reader with more than
is stated in the_title page. I am certain there
s great room for improvement in England,
were the soils and situations properly studied,
after the following treatise. I should not
speak so confidently, were it not from a long
series of practice ; for when I say there are
thousands, and tens of thousands of apple
and other trees, in different parts of England,
which have been grafted and managed by
my own hands till they have been sent to
their respective places of destination, toge-
ther with the opportunity of fruiting and prov-
ing all the best sorts now in cultivation — the
confidence in attempting this work will not
be surprising ; and likewise the discovery of
the remedy for the canker, which I have
made my study for some years, and which
I am sorry to say, I have no doubt affects,
more or less, above one half of the trees
which have gone from me as well as others ;
and the whole of which were threatened with
PREFACE. Vli
a premature end, had not the real cause and
remedy been discovered.
In my history of the American Blight and
the remedy, I shall confine myself to what I
can speak to with certainty, and it is absolutely
necessary the strongest measures' should be
resorted to, to prevent the threatened destruc-
tion of our apple trees. For some years past,
the markets of the metropolis have been sup-
plied from Christmas till Summer, chiefly
with foreign apples ; a season, when the price
would be of such great service to our own
farmers ; the reason of which proceeds from
a conviction, that when the trees ought to be
coming into bearing, to afford a remuneration
for the trouble and expense consequent in
rearing them, they are beginning to receive the
canker, and notwithstanding a number of years
may elapse before they become completely
affected, still the fruit they produce, neither
keeping so well, nor being so fine in flavour
and appearance, as that of those which are
healthy, render them little better than an
Vlll PREFACE,
incumbrance to the ground ; this it is which
prevents a perseverance in their cultivation.
Those who have had an opportunity of wit-
nessing the above fact, which is now unfortu-
nately but too generally felt, and which deters
them from planting, I have the pleasure to
state from experience, need no longer let it
influence them ; for, by following the rules
laid down in this publication they may rely on
success. It may be said, to speak so con-
fidently argues too much self-opinion ; but I
think when a man is really in possession of
a fact, to assume ignorance is equally con-
temptible, with him who is too opiniated ;
both are despicable in the eyes of men of
sound understanding ; it is not because I have
written what my practice and judgment have
furnished me with, that I wish every one to
follow it ; on the contrary, knowing there are
more methods than one, though not equally
effective, I should wish those who are con-
tent with the success attendant on their own,
most decidedly to follow it, until by re-
PREFACE. IX
peated failures they may be induced to try
mine, and rinding its infallibility become con-
verted ; and as truth and independence ought
to guide the pen of every historical author, I
shall bear that in mind throughout this publi-
cation.
In addition to the treatise on apples, bud-
ding, and the various modes of grafting trees,
with interesting observations thereon, I have
given a list of all the leading fruits now in
cultivation, both alphabetical and explanatory,
which will be found very useful to those who
are unacquainted with them. Also a descrip-
tion of several other insects, besides the apple
fly, which are considered injurious to fruit
trees.
The work is divided into chapters and para-
graphs, each paragraph beginning and ending
with the subject it relates to, without being
confused with extraneous matter ; and as the
index refers to paragraphs as well as pages,
X PREFACE.
any subject may be found with the greatest
facility.1
The Canker which first drew my pen to
write these sheets, I hope will meet with its
due share of attention, as the salvation of our
apple trees is not only of individual considera-
tion, but of great national importance.
INDEX.
Page. Paragraph
ON the Propagation of Apples . . 1 ' 1
Quartering Stocks . . . .4 2
Grafting . . . . .63
Tying Grafts . . . .11 4
Management of Grafts ' . . .13 5
Snagging of Grafts . . .14 6
Pruning and Management while in the Nursery . 15
Observations before the general cultivation of Apples 20 8
Cultivation of Dwarf Apples . .21 9
Directions for planting in bad soil . .22 '10
Cultivation of Standard Apples . .23 11
Pruning of Dwarf Apples . . . 25 12
Pruning of Standard Apples . . 28 13
Pruning of Trained Apples, with Observations .31 14
Budding of Apples . . . . 32 15
Description of Budding , . .33 16
Untying Buds . . . .36 17
Heading down Stocks which are Budded . .36 18
Tying and Sucker ing of Buds . .37 19
Observations before the Explanatory List of Sorts .37 20
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS.
Ribston Pippin . . . .38 21
Court of Wyck Pippin . . . 38 22
Scarlet Nonpareil . . . 38 23
Old Nonpareil . . . 39 24
Downton Pippin . . . . 39 25
Sykehouse Apple . . . 39 26
Yellow Tngestry Pippin . . . 39 27
INDEX.
Pagp. Paragraph,
Hick's Fancy . . . . 39 28
Old Golden Pippin . . . 40 29
Franklin's Golden Pippin . . . 40 SO
Early Oslin Apple . . . 40 31
Scarlet Pearmain . . . .41 32
Royal Pearmain . » . 41 33
Margaret Apple . . . .41 34
Duchess of Oldenburgh . . .41 35
Golden Reinet . . . .41 36
King of the Pippins . . . 42 37
Wellington Apple „ . . 42 38
Kerry Pippin . . . . 42 39
Wheeler's Russet . . , 42 40
Powell's Russet . . . 42 41
Devonshire Whitesour . . . 43 42
Margell . . . . 43 43
Cristy's Pippin . . . 43 44
Beauty of Kent . . . . 43 45
Emperor Alexander » * .43 4£
Keswick Codlin . . . 44 41
Luccomb's Seeding . . , 44 48
Northern Greening . . . 44 49
Scarlet Admirable . . .44 50
Royal Russet . . . . 45 51
Cockagee . . . . 45 52
Shepherd's Newington . . . 45 53
Striped Holland Pippin . . . 45 54
Dutch Codlin . . . 45 55
Kentish Codlin . . . .45 56
Norfolk Storing . . , . 45 57
Norfolk Beefin . . . . 46 58
Lemon Pippin . . . .46 59
Loan's Pearmain . . . . 46 60
Hawthorne Dean . . . .46 61
Hertfordshire Pearmain . . . 47 62
Kirke's Lord Nelson . . . 47 63
French Crab 48 64
INDKX.
Page. Paragraph,
Nonsuch . . . . 48 65
Norfolk Paradise . . .48 66
Woodstock Pippin . . .48 67
Hank's Codlin . » . 49 68
Pile's Russet . . . . 49 69
Braddick's Nonpareil . . . 49 70
Observations . . . . 50 71
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF APPLES NOW GENERALLY
CULTIVATED . .51 72
Cider Apples ... 53 73
Apples recommended for small Gardens . 56 74
The mode of producing new kinds of Apples . 56 75
Observations on the different modes of Grafting . 59 76
INDEX TO THE CHAPTER ON CANKER.
Introduction . . , . 64 77
The manner the Insect operates on the Trees while
in the Nursery . . . 65 78
Description of the first change of the Insect .67 79
First discovery of the Insect in another stage . 68 80
Particular Observations made in 1822, of the Insect
which causes the Canker becoming winged, &c. 68 81
First discovery of the Insect laying its eggs, with
other remarks . . . . 71 82
Further description of the large Fly in its perfect
state . > . . 72 83
Where the Flies take shelter in wet weather . 72 84
The manner the Insect operates on the Roots in
Winter . . . . 73 85
Description of the first change of the very small
Insect alluded to in Paragraph the third, which
after causes the Canker, and becomes the large
Fly ... n 74 86
Second change of the Insect . .74 87
INDEX.
Page. Para;rapli.
The third change of the Insect, and its becoming
winged . . . 75 88
Further Observations . . . 76 89
Author's Remarks respecting other Insects .76 90
Description of the small Brown Chafer, which is so
injurious in Nurseries, &c. . . .77 91
Remarks on Butterflies . . .. .77 92
Description of the Silk Worm . . 78 93
The reason forintroducing the above Insects .78 94
The reason for bringing out the Composition to pre-
vent the Canker . . . 79 95
The London Agents for the Sale of the Composition 80 96
Form of Label pasted on each Packet . .81 97
Caution not to use improper things . .81 98
The difficulty in convincing, &c. , - . 82 99
Some useful Remarks . . - 83 100
To prevent the Canker in the Main Stem, &c. the
most necessary . . . . 84 101
How to apply the Composition to Young Standard
Trees . . . . 85 102
How to apply the Composition to Old Standard
Cankered Trees . . .87 103
Trees past recovery recommended to be destroyed 89 104
How to apply the Chelsea Apple Powder to Dwarf
Trees, with further proofs of its utility .90 105
What a>ay relate to Trained Trees, &c. .91 106 "
Observations , . . . 92 107
INDEX TO CHAPTER III.
PEARS.
Introductory Remarks . . . 96 108
Explanatory List of Pears . . 98 109
Alphabetical List of Pears . . .102 110
PLUMS.
Remarks » . . / 103 111
Explanatory List of Plums . . . 104 112
Alphabetical List of Plums . 107 113
INDEX,
Page* Paragraph*
CHERRIES.
Useful Observations . . .18 114
Explanatory List of Cherries . . .109 115
Alphabetical List of Cherries . .112 11G
APRICOTS.
Remarks on the Stocks for Budding, &c. . 1 12 111 '
Explanatory List of Apricots . .113 118
Alphabetical List of Apricots k .115 119
PEACHES.
Remarks ...» . 115 120
Explanatory List of Peaches . . .117 121
Alphabetical List of Peaches . .121 122
NECTARINES.
Explanatory List of Nectarines > . 122 123
Alphabetical List of Nectarines . .124 124
GRAPE VINES.
Remarks . > . .124 125
Explanatory List of Grapes . . . 125 126
Alphabetical List of Grapes . k .130 127
FIGS.
Explanatory List of Figs . ' .f .131 128
Alphabetical List of Figs . . . 133 129
Of Chestnuts . » . .133 130
Of Barberries . . . 133 131
Of Quinces . , . .133 132
Of Walnuts . . . .134 133
Of Filberts and Nuts » . . 134 134
Of Raspberries . . .134 135
Of Strawberries . . . .134 136
Of Currants . . . . 135 137
Of Gooseberries . 135 138
THE
FRUIT GROWER'S INSTRUCTOR.
CHAPTER I.
On the Propagation, Cultivation) Pruning, and General
Management of Apple Trees.
ON THE PROPAGATION OF APPLES.
Par. 1 . — The propagation of apples is, of all
other fruits, the most easy ; and yet no tree
requires more care and good management in
its general cultivation.
The reason why it is more easy is, because
the grafts are, if put on in the proper season,
and made to touch the bark, almost sure to
grow; but although so easy it is generally
attended with more dangerous consequences
than any other, tree, if the grafting part is
2 THE PROPAGATION OF APPLES.
not properly attended to, which will be here-
after explained.
The general method of propagating apples,
is by grafting on the Crab stock, which stock
should be raised from the seed of the true
Crab; the seed may be procured from those
who make verjuice ; when a large quantity is
wanted it is the best way, as you can generally
depend on having seed from the true Crab ;
but this is not the case with many stock
growers, for they often sow the seed from
apples made into cider, which will produce
various sorts of stocks; some will grow large
and vigorous, others of so weak a nature that
they will scarcely ever make a standard tree.
fe
The best method is to wash the seed from
the pulp, and let it get rather dry, for its own
pulp is very apt to rot the pip ; mix it with
some light mould or sand, not too damp; then,
the following February, or beginning of March,
as the weather may suit, you may sow your
seed in beds or in drills ; but beds are best,
for when you have taken your mould out the
proper depth, which should be about an inch,
you will be able, when you have sown your
seed, to cover it all over alike, which you can-
not do so correctly in drills : the beds should be
THE PROPAGATION OF APPLES. 3
about four feet wide, leaving two feet between
each bed for a path, to be able to walk between
them to weed and keep the beds clean, as that
is most material to all young seedlings ; you
take the mould out about one inch deep with
the spade, and put it into the path or alley ;
make the bottom of your beds perfectly level,
then sow your seed (just as it is mixt, with
mould or sand) as near as you can judge about
one inch apart all over the ground, which will
be much better for the plants than if you sow
them thicker, for Crabs when drawn up very
weak, seldom do much good after : then take
the mould you have thrown into the alleys, and
sift it over them about one inch ; but if the
ground is strong and binding, about three
quarters of an inch will be quite enough.
The seed will then remain in the ground till
the following spring, before you get your ge-
neral crop, although some few may come up
the first year ; during that period, the beds
should be kept carefully clean, while the weeds
are in a young state, in order that the mould
may not be disturbed so deep as the seed.
The following Autumn you may take up the
seedlings, having had one summer's growth, and
transplant them into beds, putting them about
B2
4 QUARTERING STOCKS FOR GRAFTING.
one foot row from row, and about three inches
apart in the rows : let them stand two years,
then they will be strong to plant out into quar-
ters for grafting, or if the plants are not too
close together in the seed beds, they may stand
two years, and the greater part will be then
strong enough to plant out for grafting, with-
out being first bedded.
QUARTERING STOCKS FOR GRAFTING.
Par. 2. — Where you quarter or plant out
Crab stocks, being intended to grow strong
to throw up standard trees, it is necessary to
select a piece of deep loamy soil, which should
be well trenched two spades deep ; this should
be done as early in autumn as you can, in
order to get your stocks planted early in No-
vember, then they will immediately draw root,
which will make a considerable deal of differ-
ence in their growth the following summer, for
if you do not get them planted till late in De-
cember, the coldness of the ground, even if
the weather is mild, will prevent them draw-
ing fresh root, and they would be better to re-
main in the beds till February, when they
would soon begin to vegetate, for when the
stocks remain in the ground for some months,
after being removed and all vegetation ceased,
QUARTERING STOCKS FOR GRAFTING. 5
the small fibres are very apt to rot, and the
large roots get in a mildewed stagnant state,
which I have proved has been so far injurious
to the plants, that it often takes them the fol-
lowing summer to recover themselves, while
those planted in February will make a good
growth.
If your ground is very poor it will be neces-
sary to give it plenty of good rotten manure,
to make them throw up standards quick.
The distance for quartering out the stocks
for grafting should be two feet six inches row
from row, and about ten inches apart in the
rows. Some will give two feet ten inches, or
three feet row from row, but that I think un-
necessary, as two feet six inches is quite suf-
ficient to get between them for all purposes,
and quite room enough for them to grow so
long as they ought to remain in the nursery.
When you plant your stocks you should
prune the roots, cutting the strong roots
shorter, and take away as many of the super-
fluous fibres as you can ; trim up the stock
clean at the bottom, but be sure to leave buds
to break from the top, then cut off the top,
leaving the stock long enough to be about six-
6 GRAFTING.
teen or eighteen inches out of the ground when
planted ; the stocks should remain two years,
and then they will be in good order for graft-
ing, during which time they will require very
little care or trouble, more than digging be-
tween and keeping them clean from weeds.
GRAFTING.
Par. 3. — We next come to grafting-,
which is one of the most important branches
in propagation, particularly of the apple, it
being so subject to the canker, and so apt to be
injured where the graft is put on the stock,
which, if it once takes place, is almost sure to
destroy the tree. This will be fully explained
under the head of Canker.
Grafting appears to those who may see
others performing it very easy, like looking at
another who may write a fine hand, but it
requires much practice to become a clean
grafter, as well as it does to write a clean
hand ; at the same time I shall endeavour so
fully to explain it, that it may be of consider-
able advantage to the pupil.
There are various ways to graft, but the best
and usual method for stocks, planted as before
described, is what is commonly called whip-
GRAFTING. 7
grafting, for which we must first make the
necessary preparation. In the first place, some
strong loam, such as will stick well together,
should be dug and laid in a heap, if in the dry
the better ; for if you can run it through a
sieve you will free it from all stones or lumps,
which will make it mix the better.
In the next place there must be provided a
sufficient quantity of horse-dung (I mean the
clean droppings from the horse quite clear
from straw, for it is the best thing to keep the
clay from cracking,) to allow about one-fourth
to three-fourths of loam; this must be mix-
ed well together, to make it smooth and fine
enough for plastering, and sufficiently moist to
be able to mix it about easy in the hands, but
not too moist, otherwise it would slip off the
stock, but that would soon be found out by
those who are using it.
The next thing to prepare is some bass or
matting for tying on the grafts. For stocks of
the age and size before-mentioned, it should
be cut about one foot and a half long, and
tied in small bundles ready for the man who is
to tie the grafts.
Now having all ready we must watch our
8 GRAFTING.
season for grafting: where there is a great
quantity to do it is necessary to begin as early
as the season will admit ; and as apples are not
so early as cherries, plums, or pears, (where
you have these to graft) your apples must wait
till they are done ; but if you can begin your
apples about the middle of March, and finish
by the second week in April, it is very rare
that it is too late for apples, for I have grafted
apples with success in the last week in April,
when the stocks have been out in full leaf;
but this is a dangerous practice, for if the wea-
ther sets in very dry, it will so dry up the juices
of the stocks that many cannot be expected to
grow, and what do will be very weak, and
scarcely ever make handsome standards.
In the next place must be got ready the
scions or cuttings, which should be of one
year's growth, and as firm and strong as you
can get them, so that they are not too large
for the stocks ; for although weak cuttings will
grow they will not make near the growth as
the strong cuttings, neither will they bear a
dry harsh spring so well. Now we proceed
to grafting. In the first place you cut down
your stocks within four or five inches from the
ground, which in large nurseries is done by a
man before the grafter. After the grafter a
GRAFTING.
man to tie the grafts, then follow two boys, the
one to what is commonly called dabb, or put
the clay on the graft, and the other to close the
clay ; in this way you may get through much
grafting, if the grafter be quick. The grafter
should have the scions cut in lengths about six
inches long, and carry them in his apron ;
then taking out one at a time he should hold
it firm in his left hand, then take a slice off
the end of the scion, rather more than an inch
long, and be careful not to let your knife cut
too deep to get into the pith till it gets near
the end of the slice — this is one reason why I
recommend so short a slice, for in taking a
long slice you are apt to cut along the pith,
which is very injurious, although it may not
signify so much with apples it is a bad prac-
tice to follow, for in grafting cherries you will
scarcely ever have a crop, or what is commonly
called a good hit. Having made your slice in
the manner described, you then cut a tongue
or slit, which should be about a quarter of an
inch long, (this is another material thing to
pay attention to,) commencing about a quarter
of an inch below the top of the slice ; let your
knife go in not more than half-way through the
scion, for if you cut too far in when your grafts
are united, you must be at the unnecessary
trouble of shouldering or tying them again
B 3
10 GRAFTING.
round the top, otherwise those cut too far
through when they have grown any size, the
winds will blow down, even after tying them
a second time.
Having got your scion ready you take a
slice of your stock the length of the slice on
your scion, make a tongue or slit about the
same length as that on your scion, beginning
nearly at the top of the slice, letting your knife
slope gradually into the stock. If your stock
is much larger than your scion do not make
your slice too deep into the stock, in order
that your scion may touch the inner rind of the
stock on both sides as well as the bottom, but
be careful to let your scion just touch the
bottom of the slice on the stock, as that is
necessary both for its making a good growth
the first summer, and likewise for its healing
well over, for the graft derives by far more
nourishment from the bottom than the side, but
be sure do not let your scion go below the
slice on the stock. By this practice you put
on the graft in the centre of the stock, which is
much better than putting it on the side, and
by this practice you need not tie your grafts
a second time.
TYING OF GRAFTS. 11
TYING OF GRAFTS-
Par. 4. — Having given the necessary in-
structions for the grafter, tying of grafts is
the next consideration : the tying is done by a
man who follows the grafter ; he must have his
bass or matting cut in lengths about one
foot and a half long, or if the stocks are large,
it may be longer ; this tied in small bundles
should be taken one at a time, (after dipping it
in water to make it tough) and tied in the
string of the apron, putting one end in the
apron to keep it moist ; the bass should be
strong, otherwise should it break if the grafter
be quick, he will have to wait for the man
who ties : the man being now prepared, he
should begin to tie about four stocks behind
the grafter, and keep about that distance,
which will give the grafter room.
The bass should be placed firm against the
bottom of the scion, and not let slip, which
will prevent the scion from being put out of its
place ; this is very necessary to be observed,
for if the scion is removed by the tying, it
is useless for the grafter to be particular
about putting the grafts on ; he should then
tie it tight round till it comes to the top of the
stock, where it should have a tight hitch to
12 TYIJfG OF GRAFTS.
fasten off, then cut the end of the bass close
off, for if the end is left an inch long, which I
have often seen, it prevents the clay from
being properly closed, consequently admit-
ting the air to the graft, which often proves
fatal.
The next thing is putting on the clay, com-
monly called dabbing : this is done by a boy
who follows the man who ties ; having put his
clay into something to carry it with him, he
must take a small piece of clay sufficient to
cover the whole of the incision, and to come
about half an inch above the top of the stock,
in order that it may hang well on the shoulder ;
this he should roll up in his hands nearly in
the form of an egg, then make a hollow in one
side of it with one hand, sufficiently deep, that
when it is put on the stock, it will enclose it
all round alike.
After the dabber follows another boy, called
the closer ; he follows with a pot of dry ashes,
or dust, to rub his hands with to keep them
from sticking to the clay, and closes up every
crack, squeezing it tight round the bottom of
the clay to keep it from slipping ; then making
it perfectly smooth, nearly in the form of an
egg, it finishes the grafting.
MANAGEMENT OF GRAFTS. 13
The above is the general way of grafting in
large nurseries about London ; but where small
quantities only are wanted to be grafted, the
grafter may tie his own grafts, and one boy
will serve both to dab and close.
I have treated as fully as possible on grafting
of apples, as it will serve for most other fruits*
for this practice of grafting, is far preferable to
saddle or rind grafting for fruit trees.
MANAGEMENT OF GRAFTS.
Par. 5. — We next proceed to the manage-
ment of grafts, which it is necessary to^ pay
great attention to.
The grafts will not require any thing to be
done to them till they have grown five or six
inches long, unless suckers should breakout
from the stock before the graft shoots, which
must be carefully cut off and not pulled off,
for by pulling them off you leave holes in the
stock which the insect is very fond of getting
into, and of course the bottom is the most dan-
gerous part of the tree to get the canker in,
therefore they should be cut off as clean as
possible, and when the grafts have grown five
or six inches long, you should watch your op-
portunity after rain and the clay is wet, to go
14 SNAGGING OF GRAFTS.
over your grafts and take off those clays which
have grown out that length, as they will then
come off easy, and leave those which have not
grown out sufficient till another time, for if you
take them off too soon, and hot dry weather
should ensue, they are very apt to wither up ;
if the weather should continue dry, and your
grafts grow too long, you must then get the
clays off by knocking them with the handle of
your knife, or any thing that will answer the
purpose, but be sure to hold the graft as steady
as you can with one hand to keep it from being
removed out of its place, for that would be sure
death to the graft, therefore as this is so much
more trouble it is necessary to take every op-
portunity after rain.
The day after the clays are removed you
may untie the bass, observing that you cut
your bass at the back of the stock, and by fol-
lowing the above practice they will require
no more tying, nor any further attention through
the summer, than keeping them free from
suckers, and cutting off the small piece of
wood at the top of the stock, commonly called
snagging, but this must be carefully done.
SNAGGING OF GRAFTS.
Par. 6. — When you commence this work,
MANAGEMENT OF APPLES IN NURSERY. 15
which you may do any time after midsummer,
it is necessary to have a sharp knife with a
smooth edge to avoid the knife slipping and
cutting the stem of the graft, which it is very
apt to do if your knife has a bad edge, and by
making those cuts in the summer season it
leaves a place where the insect is very fond
of getting in and causing the tree to canker.
It is necessary your knife should be strong,
and held very tight in the hand : after a little
practice if your stocks are not very strong, you
will be able to take the snag off with one cut, and
after this work is performed they will require
no further attention through the summer. I
shall hereafter make some interesting observa-
tions on grafting generally, with other methods.
PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF APPLES
WHILE IN THE NURSERY.
Par. 7. — The next thing to explain is the
pruning and management while they remain in
the nursery. The first autumn after grafting
they are what are called maiden trees, and
they generally produce from one to three
shoots, and are by many preferred in this state
for general planting, where dwarf trees are re-
quired, which, in some instances, are to be re-
commended ; for where the tree has thrown
16 MANAGEMENT OF APPLES IN NURSERY.
out three shoots from the alternate buds (but
not twin buds from the same joint,) the three
shoots will be quite sufficient to form the bot-
tom of the tree, and those shoots wiil often
throw out quite wood enough for the tree to
support, which will be hereafter explained
under the general head of pruning/
But I shall now confine myself to the general
management, while they remain in the nursery.
Dwarf trees, as well as standards, being now
in general request, it is necessary, when the
pruning season commences, to reserve those
for dwarfs which are not likely to make stan-
dards; therefore, after having drawn or taken
away as many maiden trees as you may require,
all those you intend for standards you must
take off all shoots but one, leaving the strongest
and most upright.
Those intended for dwarfs should be those
where the shoots are not upright or strong ;
in this case you ought to cut all off but two
shoots, and cut those shoots down to about
three buds ; or where one shoot is much
weaker than the other, in order to form a hand-
some tree, it is better to take off the weak
shoot and cut down the strong one to four or
five buds, which will produce quite a sufficient
MANAGEMENT OF APPLES IN NURSERY. 17
quantity of shoots, and prevent the tree grow-
ing strong on one side and weak on the other ;
this having been performed, will be all the
pruning they will require till the following
summer, when those intended for standards
will require what is called spurring in, that is,
while they are in a growing state, soon after
Midsummer, the young shoots which they
throw out from the side of the tree should be
cut off within about an inch from the stem, ex-
cept about five or six at the top, which will
cause a general circulation of the sap, and
make the trees grow evidently stronger and
taller during the summer ; but unless they are
taken before they have done growing, it will
be of no use, but had better cut them close off
to the stem towards autumn, which it is ne-
cessary should be done to form a head with
five or six shoots.
The trees at this age being generally about
three or four feet high in the stem, and com-
monly called half standards, those wishing to
plant half standards, cannot plant them at a
better age, if the trees have made a strong
growth, for the shoots are alternately formed,
and consequently never crowd or injure each
other, which is often the case where a tree has
been headed down unless it is carefully pruned.
18 MANAGEMENT OF APPLES IN NURSERY.
but this the reader will be more fully furnished
with under the head of pruning.
The dwarfs likewise after one year heading
down, will have formed shoots enough, and will
never be at a better age for planting.
Although a few trees may have grown five or
six feet high, and make tolerable good standards
the second year, you seldom find many ; there-
fore after taking away as many half standards
as you may have occasion for, the March fol-
lowing begin to make your half standards into
standards, by cutting off all the side shoots,
leaving the upright shoots, cutting that off
about five feet six inches high, and some six
feet, but trees are none the better for being too
high in the stem.
After the next summer's growth, if the trees
are tolerably strong and have formed a head of
five or six shoots, they cannot be in a better
state for general planting, for their shoots
likewise are formed alternately from the stem,
which when they get large, causes every limb
to receive free and equal nourishment from the
main stem.
As the trees will not be all fit this season, it is
MANAGEMENT OF APPLES IN NURSERY. 19
necessary to be careful how those are pruned
which are left, in order to keep their heads
young, free, and flourishing ; if the stem of the
tree should not be higher than you may
wish it, the best way will be to trim the
lower shoots clean off, leaving only the two top
ones, and cut those two down to about three
or four buds each ; or if you wish the tree lower
you must cut it down to the two bottom
shoots, and be careful when you are pruning at
this season, to cut as close as you can to a bud,
for what wood you leave above the bud be-
comes a dead substance, and if it does no other
injury it greatly disfigures the tree, besides
making it awkward to remove after the tree
has formed a head.
The above instructions are from the time
of planting the stocks. I have allowed
them to remain six years in the quarters before
the ground is cleared, which I think quite long
enough, therefore shall not give any further in-
structions for pruning while they remain in the
nursery, for they would not pay for standing,
neither would I recommend old trees for plant-
ing, for although old trees may grow and per-
haps bear almost immediately, the fruit would
not be near so fine as those produced from
20 ON THE CULTIVATION OF APPLES.
young trees, neither would they succeed so
well in future.
OBSERVATIONS BEFORE THE GENERAL CULTI-
VATION OF APPLES.
Par. 8. — It is both necessary and important
to make some observations on the cultivation
of apples, as it more or less affects fruit growers
generally, for it is too often the case, (some for
want of thought, others for want of experience)
to go upon one broad plan, without studying
the situation, the soil, or the different sorts of
fruit, which would best suit the different situ-
ations, which I shall endeavour to explain, at
the same time confine myself to a limited num-
ber of sorts such as are most esteemed, for to
introduce two or three hundred sorts of apples,
two thirds of which are not worth growing,
would only confuse the reader and render it
difficult to choose.
I shall therefore confine myself to fifty sorts,
giving each their true character; for it is very
necessary when you plant either in large quan-
tities for the market, or in gardens for the use of
the family, to plant such sorts as will come
in succession all the year round, which will be
CULTIVATION OF DWARF APPLES. 21
here explained, and the different seasons when
each sort is in its highest perfection.
CULTIVATION OF DWARF APPLES.
Par. 9. — As dwarf apples are now so much
cultivated, we will commence with planting un-
trained dwarfs in gardens : having first selected
your sorts, you must get such trees from the
nursery as described in paragraph the seventh ;
but before you plant, you should study the
situation and the soil ; for although many per-
sons are afraid to plant apples, because those of
their neighbours do not flourish, and the land
does not appear to suit them, I should not be
afraid of failing to have fine trees and fine fruit
in any soil with my treatment.
Apples are fond of a deep loamy soil,
and a situation where they will have plenty of
sun, and where the soil is naturally good ; you
need not take any further trouble (where the
ground is in the habit of being dug) than open-
ing a hole sufficiently large to take the root
in easily, loosening the bottom of the hole
about a spade deep, and having pruned the
roots, plant them in the same soil, and
these you may plant in any convenient corner
of the garden, the same as you would a currant
or gooseberry tree, and if required will not take
22 DIRECTIONS FOR PLANTING IN BAD SOIL.
up more room by being properly pruned ;
and the same rule may be followed in the
shrubbery, at such convenient distances
where you can find an open place for
the sun to get at the fruit, or if a piece of
ground is set apart for a plantation of dwarf
apples, the distance I should recommend,
would be about twelve feet apart, and then by
keeping them properly pruned, they would
have plenty of room to grow and receive the
nourishment of the sun and air. — See Prun-
ing.
DIRECTIONS FOR PLANTING IN BAD SOIL.
Par. 10. — I shall now give directions for
planting where the apples are not fond of the
soil, say the soil is of a gravelly nature, or
nearly a bed of gravel.
You must open a hole at least three feet
square and three feet deep, bring in some
soil bordering on clay, and put at bottom (which
will keep cool) about one foot thick, then fill
up the other two feet with rich loam, and plant
your tree right in the centre.
This it may be said is a great deal of trouble,
but what is a garden without an apple tree, and
CULTIVATION OF STANDARD APPLES. 23
when once done they will last for many years,
either in gravelly or sandy soil, in neither of
which apples will do well alone.
It is under the above treatment indispensably
necessary to study the sort of stock your apple
is grafted on \ it should be the small Paradise
stock, for apples grafted on these stocks will
bloom beautifully and produce fruit even in pots,
as the root is of a fine fibrous nature, and will
remain in a small compass ; but the crab is natu-
rally a strong rooted tree, and would soon over-
run the boundaries of the hole made for it, and
consequently not flourish after : in fact, apples
grafted on paradise stocks are greatly recom-
mended as dwarfs, where you do not want the
trees to grow large, for they generally bear
very freely on those stocks, and although the
fruit will come very fine, they do not produce
near such strong wood as those grafted on the
crab ; in all cases in planting of apples be care-
ful not to plant them too deep, but merely
cover the roots well.
CULTIVATION OF STANDARD APPLES.
Par. 1 1 . — The culture of standard apples is so
generally known in this country, it is not neces-
sary to make many observations ; at the same
time a few may not be considered superfluous.
24 CULTIVATION OF STANDARD APPLES.
In the first place, when you select your trees
from the nursery, be careful there is no blemish
on the stem caused by the canker : and when
orchards are planted the trees should stand at
least sixteen feet apart, but distances vary in
different counties, from sixteen to forty feet ; I
should recommend about twenty feet, or
twenty-five if the land is very good, to give
room for the under crop, and as there is no fear
in future of the trees decaying through the
canker, it would be better than planting them
nearer, for it is necessary for the meadow to
have a free current of air, otherwise it would
produce a poor sour pasturage.
It is a very good plan to plant the trees three
or four years or more before the ground is laid
down for grass, for keeping the ground dug
about the trees while young greatly encourages
their growth, and they then become strong
and out of the way of cattle.
This plan is often adopted by hop growers to
plant their trees before the hop grounds are
worn out, and when the meadow is laid down,
there is at once a fine young orchard in bear-
ing without further trouble, and while the trees
are in that young state they do so little injury
to the under crops, that the same method may
PRUNING OF DWARF APPLES. 25
be adopted by cropping the land with vegeta-
bles or corn, but not too near the tree, for any
thing of strong growth i& very injurious ; those
who plant standards in gardens, must be guided
by the spots they can best select to plant the
trees where they will do the least injury to the
vegetable crops.
It would be very wrong to plant standard
apple orchards on very inferior land, and on
good land I would by no means recommend very
large holes, for the ground will naturally sink,
thereby causing the tree to be considerably
lower than it ought, which is very injurious,
particularly if sunk below the graft, at the same
time they should be made sufficiently large to
let the roots in easily, and the earth at the bot-
tom of the hole finely loosened full one foot
deep before the tree is put in.
PRUNING OF DWARF APPLES.
Par. 12.— The pruning of apple trees is a most
important thing to attend to, and to understand,
both for keeping the trees in a healthy state,
and likewise for the production of fine fruit,
particularly dwarfs, of which I shall first treat;
I mean common dwarfs (called by some dwarf
standards) and not dwarf trained trees
It is necessary to commence from the maiden
26 PRUNING OF DWARF APPLES.
graft, and go on till the tree is in a state of
maturity, in order to render the process as
clear as possible.
Suppose your maiden tree has only one or
two shoots, it is then necessary to cut them
down to four or five buds, to get a sufficiency of
wood to form the bottom of the tree ; the
following season leave about five of the most
regular shoots which will be quite sufficient,
or even four, for they are none the better for
being crowded with limbs from the stem.
But as apples, sometimes the first year after
planting, will scarcely make any growth, they
had better stand one year after planting be-
fore they are headed down; but I should
prefer those trees which have been one year
headed down in the nursery, having enough
shoots to form the bottom of the tree ; I should
not leave more than six shoots at the outside,
but what you take out, take out clean, and be
sure not to leave any blemish, nor bruise the
.bark with the knife, for that part of the tree
the insect is very fond of, and of all others, it
is the most dangerous.
I here beg leave to differ from those who re-
commend heading down dwarf apple trees,
when they have wood sufficient to form the
PRUNING OF DWARF APPLES. 27
bottom of the tree ; I prefer letting it remain,
for, as the new wood will grow but little the
first year, the shoots will swell and get strong,
and if it is a good bearer will form bloom
buds all up these young shoots : this perhaps,
will alarm some to allow the tree to bear so
young, but it must be remembered that the
trees while young will produce the finest fruit :
besides it is necessary to throw them into bear-
ing early, to keep them from growing too luxu-
riantly. It is useless having a great fruitless
tree covering a large space of ground, while by
proper management you can get an equal
quantity of fruit off a tree half the size, and
that fruit finer, and the tree kept sufficiently
strong and in perfect health, by the mode of
pruning I shall adopt.
Now the tree having stood two years with-
out being headed down as before described, it
will throw out some young side shoots towards
the top of the original shoots, these should be
cut off within two buds of the bottom, allow-
ing the original shoots to grow straight up, till
they get to the height you wish them, say five
or six feet or higher, then cut their tops off,
and keep all the young shoots spurred in every
year, to about two buds, nearly the same as
you would a red currant tree ; by this means
it will throw all those spurs into bloom buds,
c2
28 PRUNING OF STANDARD APPLES.
and I have seen by this process, the trees hang-
ing from bottom to top with apples like ropes
of onions ; and by pruning away all that su-
perfluous wood, the fruit receives the whole
strength and nourishment of the tree ; and be-
sides by this method, you not only throw your
trees into bearing, and produce more fruit, but
they have the advantage of the sun, so essen-
tial both for their flavour and beauty; the
trouble is no more than that of pruning your
currants and gooseberries, and surely apples
are to be worth as much attention.
When the trees begin to get old, you may
occasionally leave a clean young shoot, and the
following year remove an old one, and by so
doing you will keep your trees in a young,
healthy, bearing state.
Dwarf apples on the small Paradise stock,
may (if required) be kept in a much less space
than those described above, and by this way
of pruning the trees may be kept perfectly
free from the canker. See Canker.
PRUNING OF STANDARD APPLES.
Par. 13. — The pruning of standard apples
has for many years past been attended with
very dangerous consequences, on account of
the canker ; for where the tree has not been
PRUNING OF STANDARD APPLES. 29
cut particularly clean, or left at all bruised,
there the insect would be sure to get in, and
keep wounding the tree further and further,
till it completely ruined it ; therefore, in all
kinds of pruning, you ought to cut very smooth
and clean, and then it will soon heal over, but
if bruised or left rough, it will not.
Although I am going to introduce a cure for
the canker, it is necessary to give the above
caution in pruning.
Now, having selected my standards with
young heads, such as are recommended in pa-
ragraph the seventh, I should plant them with-
out touching their heads with a knife, for if
you cut them down, and they do not break
freely the first year, they seldom do well after ;
but if the head is not cut, and the tree does not
grow much the first year, it will get strong,
and the main shoots from the stem will get
strong likewise, and sooner get out of the way
of cattle.
But where you plant trees that have been
two or three years headed down in the nursery,
it is necessary to cut out any cross shoots, or
where two shoots are close together to take
away one, for although they might not injure-
30 PRUNING OF STANDARD APPLES.
while young, they would when they grew old,
and the tree not grow so handsome,
I must add a further reason for not cutting
down the heads of fresh planted standard
apples : I have often seen them] when they have
been cut down, instead of making fine young
heads, throw out short shoots two or three
inches long, and those (if they are good
bearers) formed into bloom, which stagnates
the tree, and seldom forms a good head
after.
Standard trees planted, and their heads left
in this state, will require no pruning till the
trees get large and too full of wood, except an
occasional cross branch, and taking out all
dead pieces,
But old trees should occasionally be thinned
where they grow too thick of wood, and this
should be performed with a saw where the
branches are large, but be sure to saw them
off without splitting or injuring the bark, and
as the saw will leave it rough, the part where
it has been^ sawed off should be made smooth
with a sharp knife, otherwise it will not heal
so well or so soon ; but I shall treat further
on this subject under the head of Canker.
PRUNING OF TRAINED APPLES. 31
PRUNING OF TRAINED APPLES.
Par. 14. — As trained apples are not so much
in request since the introduction of common
Dwarfs, and as the pruning of them has been
so fully explained, it is necessary only to state
after the tree has been properly trained in the
nursery, the pruning it will require, will be si-
milar to the pruning and management of Dwarf
apples, in paragraph the twelfth.
There is one great benefit arising from trained
apples ; while young the wind has not the
power of shaking them about so much, and
consequently the fruit is not so likely to fall ;
likewise, if they have no other trees to shade
them, the fruit is sure to receive the benefit of
the sun.
The season I should recommend for pruning
apples, is from the middle of January till the
middle of March; some will prune through
April, and so late as May ; but my opinion is
by causing the sap to flow, and the tree to
bleed too freely when the bloom is tender,
often causes the fruit not to set well.
Another thing should be observed in pruning
of dwarf and trained apple trees : there are some
32 BUDDING OF APPLES.
sorts which bear principally at the end of the
young shoots; where that is the case, you should
always leave plenty of the young one year
shoots ; for want of a knowledge of this many
fail in their crops on trained trees, for if the
bloom is cut off we cannot have fruit ; this is
easily discovered by leaving those sorts you
are unacquainted with till March, before you
prune them, you will then see where they shew
their bloom, and the tree may be kept free by
taking away old wood instead of young.
BUDDING OF APPLES.
Par. 15. — Budding of apples some years
back, was much more practised than at the
present day, although in some nurseries in the
country, it is still continued, and, of course
they think it best : but I will here give my
reasons for not approving of the general prac-
tice of budding apples.
The argument of those who approve of bud-
ding apples is, they generally grow taller for
standards the first summer, there being but
one shoot for the stock to support : granted ;
but this is often the cause of crooked, weak,
stemmed trees, for having run up so tall, they
frequently throw out shoots at the top the
following summer, which are often too heavy
DESCRIPTION OF BUDDING. 33
for the stem to support, and they consequently
bend down and grow crooked.
Another very great objection to budding
apples is the canker, for buds are generally
untied late in summer, and there is naturally a
wound in the stock, which the most scientific
budder cannot prevent ; and this is the season
of the year, of all others the most dangerous,
for the insect is fond of a wound where they
can enter for their winter quarters, and that
spot of all others is the most dangerous in the
tree for the canker to take place.
But although I do not recommend it generally,
sometimes it is necessary : if you wish to make
the most of a cutting, or it might happen you
would be able to get a cutting of some fa-
vourite sort at the budding season, and could
not at the grafting season. I will, therefore,
give as clear a description of budding, as can
be given in writing, which will serve not only
for budding apples, but all other fruits.
DESCRIPTION OF BUDDING.
Par. 16.- — Budding is an art which requires
long practice, and close attention, to arrive at
perfection in ; indeed most authors have said,
it is impossible to convey an accurate idea to
34 DESCRIPTION OF BUDDING.
the reader, but I will endeavour to state it so-
plain, that I think with attention it may be of
service.
The budding of apples is what we now have-
before us ; in the first place, it is necessary to
attend to the state of the stocks you intend to
bud, for some seasons are much earlier than?
others, and some soils will cause the stocks,
either Crabs or Paradise, to grow much longer
than others ; and in budding of all kinds of
fruit trees, it is very necessary to bud them be-
fore the stocks have stopped growing.
Generally the best time for apples, is late in
August, but this must entirely depend on the
state of the stocks, or trees, which you intend
to bud.
The stocks being ready, you should endea-
vour to get your cuttings (which must be of
the same summer's growth) as firm and ripe as
you can, and having prepared some strong new
matting for the purpose, you proceed to bud-
cling.
After cutting the leaves off the cutting or
scion, cut off the top likewise, as low down as
it is soft and too green, then with your budding
DESCRIPTION OF BUDDINO. 35
knife which must have a very keen edge, take
off the top bud from the scion, commencing
with your knife about an inch below the bud,
then hold the bud firm between your thumb and
finger, and take out the piece of wood the re-
verse way of the bud, leaving nothing but the
rind, this must be done clean without leaving
it any way ragged ; you then look, (and in this
it is necessary to be very particular,) to see if
taking out the wood has injured the bud, which
it will do in various ways ; sometimes it will
draw all the centre of the bud out, which ren-
ders the bud of no use whatever ; sometimes it
will leave the bud very hollow ; in that case they
are doubtful ; therefore if you are not short of
cuttings do not make use of one bud unless it is
quite plump and level with the inside rind, and
then you may almost make a certainty of its
growing ; on the contrary, you cannot depend
on them, for they will often keep alive to all
appearance even through the winter, but will
not shoot in spring ; in fact, this is one of the
most nice points in budding; having your
bud ready, you next proceed to open the in-
cision in the stock or tree ; the incision is made
nearly in the form of a letter T, cutting through
the rind first at the top about halfway round the
stock, then commencing with your knife about
two inches lower down, draw your knife up
36 HEADING STOCKS WHICH ARE BUDDED.
to the cut at the top, and before you take your
knife out, gently open the rind on one side,
which will let in the handle of your budding
knife, then open the incision so that it will
let in the bud to the bottom, and cut off what
may remain too long for the incision ; tie the
bud tight round with some strong matting, ob-
serving that you do not let the bass go at all
over the bud, for that is sure death ; give it a
tight hitch to fasten off and the budding is
finished.
UNTYING OF BUDS.
Par. 17. — When the stocks or trees have
been budded about six weeks, it is necessary to
untie the bass from them ; it is the practice of
some to tie them again, but this is quite unne-
cessary, except where they have been budded
in very free growing young wood, but even
then if the bass is not tied too tight,they need
not be, or at least very seldom, tied again.
HEADING DOWN STOCKS WHICH ARE BUDDED.
Par 18. — The heading down of stocks or trees
which have been budded is the next process ;
they should be cut off about four inches
above the bud; this may bed one any time after
Christmas, but about the end of February is a
good time ; they are not so well to be left
TYING AND SUCKERING OF BUDS. 37
much later in the season, otherwise the bud is
apt to go blind, through the sap rising more up
into the head of the stock or tree.
A
TYING AND SUCKERING OF BUDS.
Par. 19. — The next thing is the tying and
suckering of buds; it is necessary when the
suckers shoot out from the stocks to cut them
clean off, in order to give the bud all the en-
couragement you can, and when the bud has
grown fpur or five inches long, tie it gently up
to the piece of the stock which is left above
the bud, but be sure to leave a sufficient space
between the bud and the stock for the bud to
swell, after this you have no further trouble
with them, except keeping them free from
suckers till they want snagging, for which see
snagging, Paragraph 4.
OBSERVATIONS BEFORE THE EXPLANATORY
LIST OF SORTS.
Par. 20.— Having given all the necessary
information for the cultivation, pruning, and
general management of apple trees, I shall next
furnish the reader with an explanatory list of
sorts, giving each their true character.
38
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS.
TABLE OR DESERT APPLES,
Par. 21. — Ribston Pippin ; this is one of the
most celebrated apples in cultivation, it is ripe
in October, and in the months of November
and December, it is considered by most supe-
rior in flavour to any apple at that season ; its
bloom is simple and by no means showy for the
shrubbery ; it is a general bearer, but will not
keep late, for if the fruit does not rot, it will
lose its juices and become insipid. It will also
make excellent sauce, but it is generally recom-
mended as one of the best table apples.
Par. 22. — Court of "Wyck Pippin ; this is a
very handsome small table, apple ; it is said to
be a seedling from the old golden pippin ; it
ripens in October, is a good bearer, and will
keep through the winter.
Par. 23.— Scarlet Nonpareil; this is a very
choice table apple, in high perfection at Christ-
mas, at which season it is not excelled by any
apple for beauty and flavour ; it is rather larger
than the old nonpareil, of very handsome form*
and if the fruit stands open to the sun, it will
turn of a beautiful scarlet ; it produces a prodigi-
ous quantity of bloom, and generally bears
well.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS. 39
Par. 24.— Old Nonpareil; this is an apple
too well known to require much explanation
or recommendation ; it is a fine keeping table
fruit.
Par. 25. — Downton Pippin ; this is one of
the productions of Mr. Knight, of Downton
Castle, and President of the Horticultural So-
ciety ; it is a very handsome small yellow ap-
ple, very full of juice, of rather a tart flavour ; it
is a great bearer and in high perfection in the
autumn.
Par. 26. — Sykehouse; this is a small firm
table apple of a russet colour, handsome form,
and equal, from Christmas till May, to the old
nonpareil ; it is a very great bearer.
We have not a better keeping table apple
in England.
Par. 27. — Yellow Ingestry Pippin ; this is a
very handsome small yellow table fruit, a good
bearer, and is in perfection about October.
Par. 28. — Hicks Fancy ; this is a most deli-
cious desert apple, of small size, a very great
bearer, and will keep; but it is best before
Christmas.
40 EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS. N
Par 29. — Old Golden Pippin ; this apple as
a table fruit, is decidedly one of the best in this
country ; although there are many apples far su-
perior to it in flavour before Christmas : it is not
excelled by any after, and consequently at a sea-
son when most of our finest table apples are gone
by. I cannot pass over this fruit without making
a few observations, knowing an impression has
been made on some gentlemen, that the Golden
Pippin is entirely wearing out, and there-
fore useless to cultivate it ; in this I must beg
leave to differ: from my great practice among
apples, I am satisfied they are to be kept in as
flourishing a state as ever they were, for the cause
of its early decay is entirely from the canker,
which is the case with most sorts of weak
growth, but the Golden Pippin is one of the in-
sect's greatest favourites ; therefore by keeping
the body of the trees sound, you may depend
on your Golden Pippins flourishing as well as
ever.
Par. 30. — Franklin's Golden Pippin ; this is
a very good juicy table apple, a good bearer
and will keep in high perfection in November.
Par. 31. — Oslin; the true Oslin is a very
early summer apple of a spicy flavour, and by
many very much admired ; the bloom is also
very handsome for the shrubbery.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS. 41
Par. 32. — Scarlet Pearmain ; this is a hand-
some table apple of a fine scarlet colour, full of
fine sweet juice, and a great bearer; ripens
early in the autumn, and will keep through the
winter.
Par. 33. — Royal Pearmain ; this apple is
very handsomely formed, of rather a russet red
colour, and a good size for the table, the flavour
is very fine, and it is generally a good bearer ;
it ripens in September, but soon becomes mealy
after it is gathered.
Par. 34. — Margaret Apple ; this is a good
summer apple of a red colour, with a little rus-
set towards the eye ; it is a good bearer and
ripens in August.
Par. 35 — Kirke's Duchess of Oldenburgh ;
this is a table apple of a tolerable size ; it is rather
a flat form ; the ground of the fruit when ripe
is a greenish yellow, beautifully pencilled with
pink and red ; it is full of fine sweet juice, and
may be fairly called one of our best summer
table apples.
Par. 36.— Kirke's Golden Reinet ; this is a
very handsome table apple of a golden russet
42 EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS.
colour, and a fine red next the sun; the flavour
is very fine ; it ripens about October, and is
good till after Christmas.
Par. 37. — King of the Pippins ; this apple
ripens late in the summer, and to eat it from
the tree it is equal in flavour to any at that
season ; but a few days after it is gathered it
looses its flavour, or at least is very materially
diminished.
Par. 38. — Wellington Apple ; this is a very
handsome keeping table fruit, and deserves to
be brought into general cultivation ; the fruit
is of a pale green ground, of a beautiful pale
red or rather pink next the sun, and is a great
addition to the deserts at, and after Christmas.
Par. 39. — Kerry Pippin ; this is a much ad-
mired summer table apple, and is a good bearer.
Par. 40. —Wheeler's Russet; this apple,
as a table fruk, deserves the highest character ;
it is rather larger than the old nonpareil, much
like it in appearance and flavour ; it is a great
bearer, and will keep till May.
Par. 41.— Powell's Russet is a most excel-
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS. 43
lent table apple; it is smaller than Wheeler's,
very fine flavour, a great bearer, and will keep
through the winter.
Par. 42. — Devonshire Whitesour ; this is a
very early summer table apple, of a whitish yel-
low colour ; it has fine melting flesh, with very
rich juice ; it is a good bearer, and is greatly
admired.
Par. 43. — Margell is a table apple, in flavour
much like the Ribston Pippin, but does not
grow so large; it is a great bearer, and will
keep till spring.
Par. 44. — Christy's Pippin; this is an
apple not much known at present ; it is one of
the best table apples among the new varieties-;
in form much like the Nonsuch, firm and juicy,
of a greenish colour, fine flavoured, is a very
great bearer, and will keep through the winter/
APPLES FOR CULINARY PURPOSES.
Par. 45. — -Beauty of Kent; this is one of
the largest apples in cultivation ; it is a most
excellent apple for sauce, looks very handsome
on the trees, is a great bearer, and will keep.
Par. 46. — Kirke's Emperor Alexander ;
44 EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS.
this is a fine sauce apple, and is decidedly the
most beautiful apple grown. I have known
them measure sixteen inches round ; and al-
though they grow so large, they seldom fall
from the trees if sound ; it is a good bearer,
ripe late in October, and will keep till Christ-
mas.
Par. 47. — Keswick Codlin is a large yellow
apple, and one of the greatest bearers we have.
This is well adapted for small gardens, for it is
a long time before it gets large through its
great bearing; it ripens in September, but will
not keep long after they are gathered.
Par. 48. — Luccumb's Seedling, is a great
bearer, of a greenish yellow striped with red,
will grow large ; it is a very good sauce apple,
and will keep through the winter.
Par. 49. — Northern Greening; this is a most
desirable apple to plant, it is a firm green fruit,
a very great bearer, and will keep sound till
spring.
Par. 50. — Kirke's Scarlet Admirable ; this
is a very fine large sauce apple, of a beautiful
scarlet next the sun; is generally a good bearer,
and will keep.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS. 45
Par. 51. — Royal Russet; this is a well
known good keeping sauce apple.
Par. 52. — Cockagee; this apple, which is
so celebrated for cider, I have merely recom-
mended for kitchen use, on account of its fine
acid for being mixed with other apples in the
tart or pudding — it answers the purpose of the
Quince.
Par. 53.— Shepherd's Newington; this is a
fine large juicy sauce apple, and is a great bearer.
Par. 54. — Striped Holland Pippin; this
would be very handsome in the shrubbery, for
the bloom which comes out early is extremely
beautiful ; it is a good bearer and a very good
apple.
Par. 55. — Dutch Codlin ; although I cannot
recommend this as a general bearer, the fruit
is so fine, and the bloom so beautiful it deserves
a place amongst a collection.
Par. 56. — Kentish Codlin; this is a very
good bearer, not so large as the Dutch Codlin,
but is a very good sauce apple.
Par. 57. — Norfolk Storing; this apple will
46 EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS.
keep well through the winter, and is good for
sauce when most others are gone by ; it is ge-
nerally a good bearer.
Par. 58. — Norfolk Beefin ; this is a well-
known long keeping apple, of a dullish red
colour, it is famed for baking, and is good for
all culinary purposes. This apple will keep
good till August, and is a general bearer.
Par. 59. — Lemon Pippin ; this is a very good
sauce apple, of a yellow colour, is a good bearer,
and will keep till March.
Par. 60. — Loan's Pearmain, is an excellent
sauce apple, is a good bearer, and will keep.
APPLES FOR DESERT OR CULINARY PURPOSES.
Par. 61. — Hawthorne Dean; this apple, for
the beauty of its bloom, the beauty of its fruit,
its fine flavour when in season, together with
its wonderful bearing, surpasses every apple
now in cultivation : if the trees stand where
they can have the benefit of the sun they
look as handsome as a beautiful peach ;
the fruit is handsomely formed, of a whitish
yellow ground, and a brilliant pink next the
sun ; they are very full of juice, and the fla-
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS. 47
vour universally admired while in season; it
is generally in perfection through the month
of September, although they are used much
earlier, and till the end of October. If this
apple would keep there would not be such an
apple in cultivation, for many of them grow
large for kitchen purposes, while the small
ones produce a beautiful and delicious fruit for
the desert, and it is thought by many it would
make fine cider : but to have this fruit hand-
some it is absolutely necessary to plant the
trees where the fruit will receive the sun,
otherwise it will be of a pale colour. I know
of no plant or shrub in cultivation that would
adorn the shrubbery more than this tree, for
the bloom is extremely handsome in the spring,
and in the summer the fruit would not be
passed without being admired.
Par. 62. — Hertfordshire Pearmain; this is an
exceedingly fine apple for winter, it is rather of
a red russet colour, the small ones are handsome
for the table, having a very fine flavour ; the
large ones are most excellent for kitchen pur-
poses.
Par. 63. — Kirke's Lord Nelson ; this apple
is one of Mr. Kirke's finest productions, it is a
great bearer, and very handsome; good for
48 EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS.
table or sauce, is in perfection in October, and
will keep till Spring.
Par. 64. — French Crab, called by some the
everlasting pippin ; this is a very firm green
apple, it is good for culinary purposes through
winter, and in spring is a very fine table fruit ;
it will keep good till the early summer apples
come in, and may be considered one of the
most useful apples in cultivation : it might
be grown in the country to very great ad-
vantage for the London markets, for they are
so firm they will not bruise like other apples,
and in the spring they always fetch a great
price.
Par. 65. — Nonsuch ; this well known apple
deserves cultivation, it is a great bearer and
very good for kitchen purposes ; and for those
who are fond of a sharp juicy apple, they will
do for the desert ; it ripens late in summer,
but will not retain its flavour long after it is
gathered.
Par. 66. — Norfolk Paradise ; this is a hand-
some apple for table, and very good for sauce ;
it will keep through the winter.
Par. 67. — Woodstock, or Blenheim Pippin ;
EXPLANATORY LIST OF SORTS. 49
this apple was produced at Woodstock, the
seat of the Duke of Maryborough ; it is a most
excellent apple for all purposes; it ripens in
October, and will keep good some time.
Par. 68. — Mank's Codlin; this is one of the
greatest bearers we have; the fruit is hand-
somely formed, of a pale yellow colour, and
where the sun can get at them they turn of a
beautiful pale pink ; it is full of fine rich juice,
and good for all purposes ; the bloom is not
excelled by any ; it is nearly as handsome as a
rose ; it is further to be recommended to plant
as dwarfs in the shrubbery, for its great bloom-
ing and bearing prevents its growing so large
as many sorts ; it is in perfection about Sep-
tember, but will not keep long.
Par. 69. — Pile's Russet; this is an old, well
known excellent keeping apple, and good for
all purposes.
Par 70. — Braddick's Nonpareil ; this apple,
which is rather new and not much known, de-
serves to be recommended ; it partakes much
of the old nonpareil in flavour, but is an earlier
apple : it is nearly of a russet colour, fine melt-
ing flesh, and full of rich juice ; some of them
grow a tolerable size, which will do for culi-
D
50 OBSERVATIONS.
nary purposes, and the small ones afford a fine
dessert ; it is in perfection about November, and
will keep and retain its juices ; it is a great
bearer.
OBSERVATIONS.
Par. 71. — I have now furnished my readers
with a collection of the best sorts of apples
now in cultivation, for the different purposes as
described in the character of each apple. Al-
though there are more very good apples, there
are a great many not worth recommending; in-
deed, there are some I could mention superior
to some of those in the list, but what a disap-
pointment it is when your crops continually fail !
Some may say, why leave out such and such
a sort, where it may probably be a favourite ?
but there is such a confusion in the names of
apples, that it is very likely to be in this list
under another name, for there are several
among them I know to have three or four dif-
ferent names : but these are properly named as
known by the Horticultural Society, and the
principal nurserymen round London.
Some may think, if they see a tree full of
fruit it must* be a good bearer, but I have
known some of the most shy bearers (by
chance) produce a fine crop ; it is therefore
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF APPLES. 51
necessary to watch its general bearing : such
fruits as I have described here I have tho-
roughly tried, and chosen them from a very
large collection ; I can therefore recommend
them with confidence. I should also wish it
to be understood, that fruit will not ripen at the
same time every year; in 1822 fruit generally
was three weeks earlier than in 1823, neither
will apples keep so well some seasons as
others. I have mentioned the time of ripening
as that of our usual summers.
To confuse the reader with an explanatory
list of other sorts for the above purposes, would
be useless, and render it difficult to choose ; but
as there are other very good apples, and every
one have their favourites, I will give an alpha-
betical list of 'names of those sorts now gene-
rally cultivated.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF APPLES,
NOW IN GENERAL CULTIVATION.
TJwse marked with an asterisk (*) are described in
the explanatory list.
Par. 72.-
Aromatic Russet Boatswain's Pippin
AshmeacTs Kernel Biggs^ Nonsuch
*Beauty of Kent Barcelona Pearoiain
Beauty of Wilts BenwelFs Pearmain
*Braddick's Nonpareil Bedfordshire Foundling
D 2
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF APPLES.
*Court of Wyck Pippin
Crofton Apple
Cockle Pippin
Tostard Apple
*Cockagee
*Cristy's Pippin
Carlisle Codlin
C irnish Aromatic
Cobham Apple
*Downton Pippin
*Dutch Codlin
*Duchess of Oldenburgh
* Devonshire Whitesour
Duke of Beaufort's Pippin
*Eniperor Alexander
Embroidered Pippin
Flower of Kent
*Franklm's Golden Pippin
*French Crab
Foxley Pippin
Farleigh Pippin
Feartf s Pippin
Formuse Apple
Fall Pippin
* Golden Pippin
*Golden Rennet
Gibbon's Russet
Golden Russet
Gough Apple
Grange Apple
Gray Leadington
Golden Harvey or Brandy
Apple
General Wolf
'Hawthorne Dean
^Hertfordshire Pearmain
*Hick's Fancy
Hughes' Golden Pippin
Holland Pippin
Hall Door
Hunt's Royal Red
*Keswick Codlin
Kirke's Golden Pippin
Kirke's Incomparable
*King of the Pippins
*Kerry Pippin
*Kirke's Lord Nelson
*Kentish Codlin
Kentish Fillbasket
*Luccomb\s Seedling
*Lemon Pippin
* Loans' Pearmain
Lewis' Gilly Flower
*Manks Codlin or Irish
Pitcher
*Margaret Apple
Marmalade Pipjaft
*Margil
Minchin Crab
Memmel Pippin
*Norfolk Storing
*Norfolk Beefin
*Norfolk Paradise
*Nonpareil
New Town Pippin
^Northern Greening
CIDER APPLES.
53
*Nonsuch
*Oslin
Orange Pippin
Ord Apple
Potter's Apple
Pidgeon's Heart or Arabian
Apple
Pedley's Pippin
*Piles Russet
Peach Apple
Pomgree
*Powell's Russet
Quince Apple 4,
*Ribston Pippin
*Royal Pearmain
Royal Corpendue
Red Quarentine
*Royal Russet
Ridding's Nonpareil
Red Ingestry Pippin
Red Juneting
* Scarlet Nonpareil
*Sykehouse
Scartet Crab
Siberian Crab
Siberian Harvey
Sops of Wine
Sellswood Rennet
*Scarlet Pearmain
Scarlet Queening
Southampton Pippin
* Scarlet Admirable
* Shepherd's Newington
Stubbard Apple
* Striped Holland Pippin
Spring Grove Codlin
Sandy's Russet
Transparent Crab
* Wood stock or Blenheim
Pippin
*White Juneting
*Wellington Apple
Wormsley Pippin
* Wheeler's Russet
Winter Pearmain
Wyken Apple
White Lilly
Yorkshire Greening
*Yellow Ingestry Pippin
CIDER APPLES.
Par. 73.— As it is now become a question
whether our old cider fruits are not going to
decay from old age, it is necessary to say some-
thing on the subject.
54 CIDER APPLES.
I have no doubt but many, where they have
not had sufficient practice, will differ with me,
but having for many years had thousands, and
tens of thousands, continually under my imme-
diate care and notice, it has given me an op-
portunity of becoming thoroughly acquainted
with the constitution of the apple tree ; and I
am confident it is nothing but bad manage-
ment and ill treatment which is the cause of the
general decay of our apple trees, and principally,
from want of proper attention to the canker,
which is caused by the American blight.
This is quite evident from all our new sorts
becoming affected by it, as well as the Golden
Pippin, and our other fine old cider fruits.
To conclude, I am convinced so long ~s Eliglisn
oak is known to flourish in England, so long
by proper management, may our old Golden
Pippins be known to flourish, as well as they
did fifty years back ; I will therefore give a
list of some of the esteemed old sorts, with a
list of others which are now generally approved
of for cider.
Old Golden Pippin Wood Cock
Fox Whelp Forest Stire
Herefordshire Redstreak Old Queening
Orange Pippin Bennet Apple
Red Musk Friar
Hagloe Crab Yellow Elliott
CULTIVATION OF CIDER APPLES. 55
NEW CIDER APPLES.
Court of Wyck Pippin Kirke's Lord Nelson
Foxley Apple Kirke's Seedling Golden
Downton Pippin Pippin
Stead's Kernel Franklin's Golden Pippin
Cockagee Kirke's Golden Rennet
If I were going to plant apples, purposely for
cider, I should confine myself to a few sorts ;
for if we have those sorts which are good, and
good bearers, what can we wish more? I should
therefore recommend the following : —
Court of Wyck Pippin Kirke's Lord Nelson
Foxley Apple Kirke's Seedling Golden
JJownton Pippin Pippin
Cockagee Franklin's Golden Pippin
The most favourite cider apple now in culti-
vation is the cockagee ; I am informed by some
of our principal cider merchants it is decidedly
the best for bottleing, and will bring the
greatest price ; therefore, as this apple is a good
bearer, and a free grower, it would be the
most profitable of any to plant for cider.
Kirke's Lord Nelson, is not much known at
present as a cider fruit, but this apple, which
is a good bearer, produces a large quantity of
56 PRODUCING NEW KINDS OF APPLES.
fine astringent saccharine juice, and makes a
most excellent cider to drink from the cask.
List of apples from one to twelve sorts recom-
mended for small gardens.
par. 74._
1 Hawthorn Dean 7 Manks Codlm
2 Ribston Pippin 8 Scarlet Nonpareil
3 Kirke's Lord Nelson 9 Scarlet Pearmam
4 Cristy's Pippin 10 Hick's Fancy
5 Beauty of Kent 11 Woodstock Pippin
6 Sykehouse 12 Court of Wyck Pippinr
The above are all described in the explana-
tory list, where the different seasons of ripen-
ing, with the character of the apples, may be
found.
THE MODE OF PRODUCING NEW KINDS OF
APPLES.
Par. 75. — It is a well known fact, not only
among botanists, but all those who have paid
attention to the culture of the vegetable
tribe, that by improper management their sorts
will degenerate; and this is caused, by such
sorts being planted too near together, by
which means they unite with each other.
If you plant cabbages and potatoes, or cucum-
PRODUCING NEW KINDS OF APPLES. 57
bers and turnips near each other, or any thing of
a different nature, they will not injure ; but if you
plant cabbage and cauliflower, or savoy, or any
thing of a similar nature, it will cause the most
perfect sort to degenerate, if they are allowed to
bloom together. The same is the case with ap-
ples ; for, if various sorts are in the same garden
blooming near each other, although you might
save your seed from what appeared a very fine
apple, you would not judge which was the
male parent : in order to elucidate this par-
ticular, I will endeavour to state as plainly as
possible, the nature of the apple from its first
formation, till it becomes perfect, and produces
the ripe pip or seed.
In the first place, when the bloom is quite
open, the principal attraction is the leaves of the
bloom, five in number; that which is called the
corolla is below the flower, where the small
green apple is formed, which continues to grow
larger till it comes to perfection ; this is called
the flower cup or calyx ; in the centre of the cup
you see small yellow things which are called
stiles, and below the stiles are to be seen several
other very small things with round heads like
pins, which are called stamens, and these pro-
duce a fine dust called the Farina or Pollen,
which is collected by the bees and other
D 3
58 PRODUCING NEW KINDS OF APPLES.
insects, and which the former so industriously
collect and lay up for their young, &c.
Various have been the opinions on this sub-
ject, but it is now become conclusive, that the
bloom becomes impregnated with other varie-
ties, through the bees and other insects ; indeed,
most insects after they become winged, are
fond of the sweets they can collect from flow-
ers ; and although we have not so just an idea
of many insects as we have of bees, yet I have
no doubt, many of them take part in crossing
the fruits and vegetables : but the bees may
be seen flying to a great number of different
flowers and trees, before they have a sufficient
load to take home to their hive, and by thus
flying from bloom to bloom, and tree to tree,
they occasionally drop part of the Pollen into
another flower, which causes it to be impreg-
nated with the nature of the fruit or vegetable
from which it was collected ; it therefore
shows the necessity, if we wish to produce a
new variety of any peculiar quality, to plant
the trees where they will not be within a consi-
derable distance of any other; for instance,
suppose you wish to raise a new keeping apple,
it will be necessary to chuse two good keep-
ing apples, and if one were very sour, and the
other sweet, it will have a great chance of
DIFFERENT MODES OF GRAFTING. 59
combining these two qualities, which are quite
necessary to constitute a good apple ; or if you
have a favourite early apple, and would wish to
get one nearly like it that would keep, then
plant by it a good keeping apple, and you
will have a chance of getting one nearly like
it, and probably much better.
If your seedlings are at all strong, the best
method, and most quick to prove them, is, the
following spring after they have come up, to
graft them on young fruit bearing trees ; it will
bring them into bearing early, and by so doing,
you likewise have an opportunity of noticing
which are likely to become good bearers.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIFFERENT MODES OF
GRAFTING.
Par. 76. — Various are the opinions respecting
the influence the stock will have on the scion,
or graft : many persons (for want of sufficient
practice) to this day, suppose the stock will
affect the scion, and consequently the fruit
produced from the tree grafted on a stock
whose fruit is different ; but during my prac-
tice I never have known in any instance, the
fruit to become altered through the stock it
was grafted on : in order to illustrate this fact
60 DIFFERENT MODES OF GRAFTING.
as clearly as possible, I will give my general
opinion on the subject.
It is necessary sometimes to convey our
ideas (particularly in writing where it is subject
to every criticism) as plainly as possible ; I shall
therefore commence from the seed of the stock.
In the first place, when the seed first spears,
(say the Crab) its spear grows downwards, (the
same by a common bean or pea) perhaps two
inches before we see the green seed leaf above
ground, this shews that the fund of vegetable
matter above ground, must be filtered through
the root, for without the root the tree cannot
grow, but the root might exist for some time,
although the head was cut down ; I am there-
fore most decidedly of opinioti, that the stock
in some degree partakes of the nature of the
scion which is grafted on it ; for if we look at
the nature and constitution of a tree, and from
practice mark its general progress, there can-
not be an existing doubt, that the roots, veins,
fibres, or whatever they may be called, which
strike from the scion into the stock, must take
root and run downwards, and that to the very
extremity where the sap flows ; this I am fur-
the convinced of by putting the graft on the
DIFFERENT MODES OF GRAFTING. 61
centre of the stock instead of the side, for you
always find them make a considerably bet-
ter growth, and the trees are more durable ;
therefore, if the graft sends its roots down to
the very extremities of the roots of the stock,
if either becomes impregnated, it must be the
stock and not the scion.
The same by budding ; if nature had so or-
dered it, that the stock should have had any
influence on grafting, much more must it have
had on budding, where there is nothing left
but the mere rind ; yet this small bud has been
in no instance ever known to degenerate on
account of the stock, if budded on a stock
it was fond of.
What I mean by a bud being fond of a stock,
is such stocks as buds and grafts are usually
worked on ; this is one very necessary branch
of a nurseryman's profession, wlien he has a
new fruit, to endeavour to find out such stock
as is best suited to its constitution, &c.
I remember many years back, when quite a
boy, a common white jasmine which was grow-
ing against the house, and being fond even
from my earliest years of trying experiments
among trees, I took a bud from a striped jas-
62 DIFFERENT MODES OF GRAFTING.
mine, and budded a branch of the green ; the
bud grew, and what shoots put forth below the
bud, most of them became blotch leaved ; this
is a proof the bud or graft must have an effect
on the stock.
There are other modes of grafting, but which
are little noticed for fruit trees, except when the
trees are very large, and as it will not be foreign
to the present work I will mention them.
First, rind grafting ; this is principally prac-
tised on large trees. After cutting off the
branch of the tree (if with a saw it should be
made smooth with a knife) cut a slit in the
rind, about two inches from the top where it
was cut off, open the bark without bruising it,
(the handle of a budding knife is the best in-
strument) then cut a slice of your scion the
length of the incision on the branch, nearly
the same as described in whip-grafting ; run
the scion down between the rind and the wood,
placing the wood of the scion against the wood
of the , stock, then bind it tight round with
strong matting, and put clay round it the same
as directed in whip-grafting ; when this me-
thod of grafting was more in practice, many
would make a shoulder in the scion, to rest it
on the shoulder of the stock ; but this I think
DIFFERENT MODES OF GRAFTING. 63
unnecessary, as the two woods would not
gender without the bark, and there would
be no bark on the crown of the branch or
stock: three or four scions may be put on one
large crown; but this method of grafting is
by no means to be recommended, for the winds
are so apt to blow them out, and if the bodies of
the trees were sound and worth grafting, and the
branches too strong for whip -grafting, it would
be far better to cut them down nearly to the
stem of the tree, and the following year they
would throw out fine young wood for whip-
grafting, and rather than lose, you would save
time by this practice ; I have whip-grafted with
success, branches six and eight inches in cir-
cumference.
Grafting by approach, commonly called
enarching ; this method is principally practised
among exotics, consequently the fruit grower
will not feel interested in its detail, particularly
the apple grower, it being by no means neces-
sary ; this practice is principally adopted
where the scion and stocks wTill not unite
freely by whip-grafting.
CHAPTER II.
ON THE CANKER IN APPLE TREES.
Introduction.
Par. 77. — The white blight, which is now
but too well known among the apple trees in
this country, is called by some versed in na-
tural history Aphis Lanata, and by some Ame-
rican blight, by others the French blight : but
whether it is a native of America, or France, or
either, I think is a matter of doubt ; in fact,
all I have read on this subject have passed it
over without any useful information ; but I
have been informed by some of the established
nurserymen near London, that it first made its
appearance in this country in the nursery
grounds of Mr. Swinton, of Chelsea, who,
being curious in fruits, was in the habit occa-
INSECT IN TREES IN THE NURSERY. 65
sionally of importing apple trees in pots on
Paradise stocks from France, and that it made
its appearance first on them, the following sum-
mer after they were imported; and during the
same summer made its appearance in a nursery
belonging to Mr. Grimwood, at Knightsbridge,
being near to where Mr. Swinton then lived.
This will not appear at all unlikely that it
should make its appearance in a ground only a
few hundred yards from each other, when the
real nature of this insect is explained ; in fact,
for a long period my ears have been open to
every word that has been spoken on this subject,
for having been in the habit of grafting several
thousand apples annually, for many years past*
it induced m« to pay more than 01 diu<ay
to this destructive i
THE MANNER THE INSECT OPERATES O# THE
TREES WHILE IN THE NURSERY.
Par. 78. — It very much puzzled me to
account for the strange manner in which it
operated during the progress of the trees, for
the longer the trees remained on the ground
the more they seemed to get the disease. I
have often reflected with some anxiety, when
thinking of the thousands of fine young trees
66 INSECT IN TREES IN THE NURSERY,
which have gone from my hands, that there
could be no remedy against the canker ; for if
you asked any one what they thought of it, their
opinions were all at variance ; some would say
it came with the east winds, others that it was a
most extraordinary and unaccountable thing, but
no one could give me any useful information. I
was often surprised to find trees that had been
grafted on fine clean stocks, and which continued
so through the summer, and likewise towards
the autumn, not a blemish was to be seen, ex-
cepting a little white blight on the young
shoots, would the following spring be getting
cankered where the trees were grafted : on
close examination, this was uniformly the
* >"•- - ^fj- . ,~~4- 4-V,^«^-,-.r«.V,1-.r
case wnere tiit; gia.it was not t,uuiuugu«^
healed ; and when once the "tree was attacked,
it would generally get worse every year : in
fact, it became so bad in some parts of the
country, that many nurserymen gave up grow-
ing apples altogether ; and from the destruc-
tion with which they were threatened, it
became quite disheartening to plant ; and had
not the real cause been discovered, our apples,
for which we are so celebrated, must eventually
have gone to total ruin : a doctor may pre-
scribe various things for a patient, but unless
he is acquainted with the disorder, it is all
chance about the effect ; but first find out the
FIRST CHANGE OF THE INSECT. 67
disorder, and then you have a chance of apply-
ing a remedy with safety.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST CHANGE OF THE
INSECT.
Par. 79. — I have discovered by the means
of glasses, that some of these insects take wing
like the small green fly, such as are seen on
roses, &c. ; but those that become winged in
this state turn to a very small black fly ; and
if the weather is not very warm and favour-
able, they will not survive ; but, if it continues
warm and fine, they soon gain strength, and fly,
and play together in swarms like gnats, in the
a|r • but they seeni to keep near their native
spot, unless carried away suddenly by the wind.
Those that take wing in this state, are the
largest of the Aphis, which appear so helpless ;
but there is another small insect, which is very
diminutive, and which appears to stick to the
large ones while they remain in the cotton-like
web ; these are scarcely discernible without
the microscope, but they are much more active
on the legs, and soon grow larger ; when
they leave the web, they crawl down to the
ground, and remain just under the earth till
they have gained sufficient strength to find out
their winter's abode, during which season
68 OF THE INSECT IN ANOTHER STAGE.
they cause the canker, which will be hereafter
described.
FIRST DISCOVERY OF THE INSECT IN ANOTHER
STAGE.
Par. 80. — I have often discovered during
my practice among the apples, while removing
the cankered parts of the trees (which I was uni-
formly particular in doing) that a small maggot
or grub was to be seen in the part affected, but
I naturally concluded like others, more from
custom, (certainly not reflection,) that it merely
got there for shelter; but in June, 1822, by
accident, rather assisted by curiosity, the whole
mystery was disclosed.
PARTICULAR OBSERVATIONS MADE IN 1822,
OF THE INSECT WHICH CAUSES THE CAN-
KER — ITS BECOMING WINGED.
Par. 81. — It may be recollected by some of
my readers that the summer of 1822 was a
very fine one; and to that fine summer suc-
ceeded a very mild winter ; in the month of
June the white blight began to be very general.
This, I observed, as I was going through an
old apple quarter in the nursery which was
intended to be cleared the following autumn ;
and this quarter, which contained upwards of
twenty thousand apple trees, were now reduced
OF THE INSECT IN ANOTHER STAGE. 69
to about eight thousand ; many of which, from
the canker, and other causes were unsaleable ;
but I observed those trees which were cankered,
was generally where they had been grafted ; and
during the time I was cutting them down I paid
particular attention, as the white blight seemed
to increase daily. In my progress I came to a
tree of the Woodstock Pippin, which was al-
most eaten through with the canker ; I cut it off
below the graft, and felt rather surprised to see
a thin brown shell (seven in number,) issuing
from holes through the canker ; I could com-
pare the bottom of this tree to nothing but a
horse with a very bad greasy heel ; this I passed
over, but still I thought it very extraordinary,
and on reflection, was induced to examine
more trees which had the canker, and having
come to a tree which was very much eaten, I
saw some shells like the above, and an insect
which was just about to leave the shell, its
head being quite out. I immediately cut it
out, and was not a little surprised to see it had
wings, and although it appeared quite motion-
less, when touched it moved ; and when the
chrysalis was removed from it, in a few
seconds it began to move its wings, this I put
on a leaf on the ground, from whence it soon
took flight. I examined the tree further, when
cutting away the canker, I further discovered
70 OF THE INSECT IN ANOTHER STAGE.
in the same spot two maggots or grubs, about
half an inch long, of a whitish brown, and
dark heads, and likewise concealed very safely
between the rind and the wood, two insects in
a chrysalis, rather a lighter colour than those
from which the insects had flown, and I was
convinced from what I knew of natural history,
that these were all the same species of insect.
I then began to think that what produced the
canker, and the white blight, must be two
distinct species of insect ; but standing reflect-
ing on what I had seen, with a view to fur-
ther examination, I observed a strange look-
ing fly, about half an inch long to all appear-
ance, fly very deliberately from tree to tree,
I may say nearly twenty, and appeared to set-
tle near the bottom, but its wings were scarcely
quiet before it again took flight; and as it
stopped at every tree it came to, I watched it
very closely; at last it came to a tree which had
the canker very bad just at the graft: this tree
the fly took a fancy to, and having settled for
about two or three seconds, it did the same at
every knot it could find all up the stem ; after
it had settled six or eight times (during which
time it seemed very intent,) I knocked it down,
and taking it in my hand, and it not being dead,
I gave it a squeeze in the palm of my hand with
my thumb to kill it, which caused it to dis-
OF THE INSECT LAYING ITS EGGS. 71
charge several eggs, which I distinctly saw;
they were round and almost as small as dust,
of a light brown colour, and very hard ; I then
examined the fly, which was not dead, neither
could I kill it till I pinched the head ; it was a
venemous looking fly, with a shining black
head, and two prominent eyes, — with two horns
full a quarter of an inch long, — the body of the
fly was also black ; it measured three-quarters
of an inch from the head to the tail, and an
inch from the tail to the end of the horns ; it
looked venemous, and was very handsome.
FIRST DISCOVERY OF THE INSECT LAYING ITS
EGGS, WITH OTHER REMARKS.
Par. 82. — I next turned my attention to the
tree where it had been so busy, and examined
the spots where I saw it settle, and there I saw
in three different places an egg, but one in par-
ticular I saw distinctly, with a little mucus
attached to it ; this induced me to mark the
tree, and the spot where I saw the egg so dis-
tinctly ; I continued to watch it almost daily for
about three weeks, when I saw a spot of white
exactly where the egg was laid, and in a few
days it covered about as much space as would
contain a sixpence ; this was rather in a hollow
where a shoot had been cut off, and the bark
had not quite healed over ; I allowed the insect
72 FLIES TAKE SHELTER IN WET WEATHER.
to remain, to watch its progress, which I did
more narrowly than I ever did before, and
found it subsisted on the bark of the tree, till it
gained strength sufficient to leave the web,
which several would do some days before the
rest, and then crawl away imperceptibly,
leaving the part where they had been, com-
pletely blistered and up in lumps.
FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE LARGE FLY IN
ITS PERFECT STATE.
Par. 83. — Being thoroughly convinced it
was all tbe same insect, I looked about
among the apple trees, and saw several of these
flies, but they flew and darted about so quick
in the air, that it was a hard matter to knock
them down, and very few were so large as the
one before described : but later in the season, I
found many as large ; the male does not ap-
pear to be so large as the female, excepting
the head, which is larger.
WHERE THE FLIES TAKE SHELTER IN WET
WEATHER
par. 84. — The part in this large quarter of
apple trees where I found the flies most, was
for about thirty yards where some Wych Elms
were in the hedge, and which produce large
OPERATIONS OF THE INSECT IN WINTER. 73
leaves, and in wet weather the flies were to be
found under them for shelter.
THE MANNER THE INSECT OPERATES ON THE
ROOTS IN WINTER.
Par. 85. — In the autumn I discovered many
of the insects crawling about the ground ; they
would enter the cavities close to the apple
roots, that are caused by the wind blowing the
trees backwards and forwards : at this sea-
son, I have no doubt the insect is sufficiently
sensible that the approaching cold season will
not admit of her young surviving through the
winter on the trees, and consequently makes its
way to the roots for warmth ; for in the winter
season, I have often found the insect in its white
state on the roots under ground; but these
always appear very small and weakly, compared
to those in warm summer weather, and the fly
appears to have great strength for its size, as I
have seen it force its way into the earth; in a
most astonishing manner; but this singular
insect, the large fly, I have brought to its per-
fect winged state, in a glass, .since I wrote the
foregoing pages, which I now have by me, and
likewise the piece of the tree where it had formed
itself into a chrysalis ; I kept the fly alive nine
days.
74 SECOND CHANGE OF THE INSECT.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST CHANGE OF THE
VERY SMALL INSECT, ALLUDED TO IN PARA^
GRAPH THE SEVENTY-NINTH, WHICH CAUSES
THE CANKER, AND BECOMES THE LARGE FLY.
Par. 86. — Those versed in natural history,
describe moths and all winged insects, to
have various changes before they become
winged, which is the last stage of their ex-
istence ; and I shall now state as plainly as
possible the manner in which this insect goes
through its different changes : it first enters a
crevice in the apple tree, where it begins to feed
on the inner rind, and the outside skin of the.
insect becomes a sort of dead substance, and
the inside contains a very small maggot or grub,
with a black head, which it puts out at one end
for food ; the dry skin is retained most probably
to keep it from the inclemency of the weather :
its colour is nearly the colour of the bark df
the tree, which makes it in this state almost
imperceptible ; but during the winter, this small
worm makes its way under the rind of the trees,
and there hangs by its head, feeding on the
juices of the rind.
SECOND CHANGE OF THE INSECT.
Par. 87. — When they have cast this skin,
(which is quite tough, but as thin as possible,)
INSECT BECOMING WINGED. 75
it begins to eat under the bark ; and in this
stage it commits the greatest depredations, and
soon becomes a good sized maggot. I am
inclined to think from my discoveries this sea-
son, that the cold weather does not much affect
them; for although we had much severe
weather, from Christmas, 1822, to March, 1823,
in the latter month, when I came to examine the
trees where they were cankered, I found
several which, had left the skin quite lively, and
could see where they had been recently feed-
ing ; and others with their heads just coming
out of the skin ; they adhere by their head to
the tree, and if you remove them gently, they
hang by a web to keep themselves from falling,
and unless you examine them, you would sup-
pose them nothing more than small morsels
of dead leaf or bark.
THE THIRD CHANGE OF THE INSECT, AND ITS
BECOMING WINGED.
Par. 88. — The maggot, having grown to the
size of about two-thirds of an inch, looks out for
a convenient place in the tree, and after discharg-
ing a quantity of excrement, it forms itself into
a chrysalis, and remains torpid for'some time,
when it quits the chrysalis, or shell; it then
becomes the winged fly, and commences breed-
ing as before described, after which it dies.
E-2
76 REMARKS RESPECTING OTHER INSECTS,
FURTHER OBSERVATIONS,
, Par. 89. — Now, I find from my further obser-
vations this spring, that many of the chrysalis
turn into flies quite early, as I have found them
in April on a warm day, and in their first state
they appear black. I have examined a great
many trees this spring, where the canker ap-
peared, and there found the insect, in its larva
state, of different sizes, and while in this state
like a small slender maggot ; when you cut to
the spot where they are concealed they throw
themselves about in a violent manner, and will
frequently drop down hanging by a web.
«
REMARKS RESPECTING OTHER INSECTS,
Par. 90. — To speak of ^11 the insects which
infest the vegetable tribe, is impossible, (at
least I will leave it to entomologists) for, I be-
lieve it to be beyond the comprehension of
human understanding, to follow the myriads of
insects through their various changes, many of
which, would be as difficult to discover as the
apple-fly, which has been so many years tried
at ; but, as they do not appear of that conse-
quence, they have not received that share of
pains and trouble, at least, as far as regards
myself: at the same time, I will give a brief
description of a few> which have come under
my notice^ to shew that there are others which
REMARKS ON BUTTERFLIES.
pass through nearly the same changes as the
apple-fly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SMALL BROWN CHAFER,
WHICH IS SO INJURIOUS IN NURSERIES, &C.
Par. 91. — The first I will mention is a small
brown chafer, which is well known to nursery-
men, particularly about London ; this chafer,
like other chafers, is fond of laying its eggs
under ground, close to a tree for protection ;
they hatch early in spring, and become a small
brown maggot ; it is a very great enemy to
the apricot and other buds ; for early in the
spring, when the insect comes to life, it crawls
up the stem, and forms a sort of web for its
protection beside the bud ; and when the young
bud of the apricot puts forth, this insect wiU
get into it and eat it off, and sometimes eat it
completely out; the consequence is, if they
shoot again, it is with twin shoots, and fre-
quently so late that the trees do not grow near
so strong. This insect, like the apple-fly, after-
wards turns into the small winged chafer, as
before described ; but there is another cater-
pillar or maggot, which is very injurious to buds
in spring, it turns to a brown moth.
REMARKS ON BUTTERFLIES.
Par. 92.— From the accounts I have read
78 DESCRIPTION OF THE SILK-WORM,
in natural history, together with my own
observations, I find, the different sorts of but-
terfly go through similar changes, but at va-
rious periods, and each different butterfly dif-
fers equally in its caterpillar state : there are
smooth caterpillars of different colours and
sizes, and some beautiful and hairy ; likewise,
they vary in the different sorts of food they
choose, but they all in their different seasons
become winged. •
DESCRIPTION OF THE SILK WORM.
Par. 93. — The silk- worm goes through
nearly the same changes, but at a different
season to the last named ; the egg is hatched
about the month of April or May, and then
remains in the caterpillar or worm state till
about July ; during this time it will consume a
considerable portion of food if you give it what
is fond of — mulberry leaves are its greatest
favourite ; it will then change into a pupa,
which is more hard than the larva or worm ;
in this state it remains some time, and having
produced silk, it then turns to a moth, and
after laying its eggs it very shortly dies.
THE REASON FOR INTRODUCING THE ABOVE
INSECTS.
Par. 94. — I would give a description of a con-
REASONS. 79
siderable number of other insects, but as this is
a work not intended for that purpose it would
only cause confusion. What I have already said,
is merely to show to those wholly unacquainted
with the various changes the insects go through,
that the apple-fly is by no means extraordi-
nary, when we look at the different changes of
all these wonderful insects ; in fact, it is said
by some naturalists, that many of those grubs
which we find underground, go through four or
five different changes before they become
winged.
THE REASON FOR BRINGING OUT THE COMPO-
SITION TO PREVENT THE CANKER, &C.
Par. 95. — I now feel it but just to state to
my readers, that having completed my experi-
ments, and found them to answer my most san-
guine expectations, I made bold to write to the
Earl of Liverpool, offering the discovery to
government; but on a subsequent interview
with T. Brooksbank, Esq. at Fife House, (his
lordship's secretary,) he said, before government
could notice it, it would be necessary to have
strong proofs of its utility from the public. I
therefore prepared a quantity of the composi-
tion, and made it up in packets at one shilling,
one shilling and ninepence, and five shillings
each, thereby giving every one, at a trifling ex-
80AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE COMPOSITION.
pence, the opportunity of a fair trial on their
own trees ; this has had the desired effect, as a
great quantity has already been sold, and a
number of persons owning public nurseries and
private gardens have become satisfied of its
efficacy ; through which the demand is greatly
increasing.
THE TOWN AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE
COMPOSITION.
Par. 96.- — It is sold under the title of the
Chelsea Apple Powder, and may be had at the
following London agents ; Messrs. Girmley and
Co. Covent Garden Market, Messrs. Wood-
man and Seekers, No. 18, Piccadilly, corner
of Air Street, and Messrs. John Hunt and Sons,
Seedsmen, No. 53, High Street, Borough, and
at the Manufactory, No. 9, Francis Street,
Chelsea Common, Middlesex.
LABEL.
81
FORM OF LABEL PASTED ON EACH PACKET.
Par. 97. — The following is the form of the
label pasted on the packets.
TO
PREVENT AND CURE THE CANKER
IN
APPLE TREES,
CAUSED BY THE
American Blight.
THE
This valuable Composi-
tion, with little trouble,
will effectually prevent
the Canker in sound
Tiees, afford peculiar
Nourishment, and make
a perfect Cure of Canker-
ed Trees, not past re-
covery; it will remain
on the Trees till it has
had the desired effect,
cause the wounded
PI aces to heal, produce
a fine clear Bark, and
retain its Virtues in any
Climate.
CHEZiSEA
APPLE
Powder.
PIIEP.ARED AND SOLD AT
No. 9,
FRANCIS STREET,
Chelsea Common,
MIDDLESEX.
Direction* for Use.
When the Trees are
quite dry, put the Com-
position in an open
Vessel, add as much
Water as will make it
the substance of Pain',
then, with a Brush,
apply it all over the
Stem, quite to the bot-
tom, and a little under
groand ; if unplanted,
apply it to the princi-
pal Roots, likewise the
main Branches from the
Stem; where the Trees
are much Cankered, it
should be first cut out,
then use the Mixture
thoroughly to those
Places, and the Trees
will become healthy and
flourishing.
CAUTION NOT TO USE IMPROPER THINGS.
Par. 98.- -The remedy I have now introduced
E 3
82 DIFFICULTY IN CONVINCING.
although simple, will require some care in its
application, to mind it is applied thoroughly as
directed on the packets, for I have the satis-
faction to state, it may be used over the bloom
buds in March, or the most tender shoots in
summer: it is the only effectual cure for
this disease ever discovered, that is not in-
jurious to the trees. Oils were at one time
much used for it, but they were found too
powerful ; indeed, I have destroyed many
young apple trees by applying sweet oil. Coal
tar has also been lately introduced, but that
can only be used to old wounds, and then it
makes a bad smell, and leaves the trees in
half mourning; it is a most dangerous thing
to apply to young trees, as I have seen trees
twenty years old destroyed with it, down to the
very roots, but this has been when applied all
over the principal part of the tree.
THE DIFFICULTY ^IN CONVINCING.
Par. 99. — I am aware of the difficulties aris-
ing in persuading men against their own in-
clination, on what they are not personally
acquainted with : for in almost every separate
county in England, they have different ways
of farming, and each supports its own opinions ;
and this notwithstanding the wide dissemi-
nation of new and acknowledged improvements.
USEFUL REMARKS. 83
But although this is the case among agricul-
turists, it is carried to a far greater extent by
horticulturists ; it would be an extraordinary
thing indeed, for one gardener to prune and
manage a tree to please another. At the same
time, although they may differ much in their
opinions, they may produce equally fine fruit,
and keep their trees in equally good order.
But the subject before us, is of such great
national importance, that every one must feel
interested in it, who is fond of horticultural
pursuits. The remedy is so very plain and
easy, I think I need not recite my experiments,
to convince the public of its efficacy. Never-
theless, I will give as much explicit informa-
tion on the subject, as my memory, together
with my memorandums, will furnish me with.
SOME USEFUL REMARKS.
Par. 100. — I must beg first of all, to make
this impression on the minds of my readers, to
prevent any misunderstanding ; that is, that
the powder is intended as a remedy for the
canker : — and although I have said it may be
used on the most tender shoots in summer, yet
be it understood, although it is necessary to use
every means to check it when we see it raging
in its white state, yet my object is, to preserve
84 TO PREVENT CANKER IN MAIN STEM.
the main stem and branches from the canker :
this it will effect, and keep them free from
moss, and other diseases, by applying the com-
position as it is directed, once in about two
years. I have made the foregoing observa-
tions, to prevent any mistaken idea, of apply-
ing it to a tree, which is probably smothered
with the insect in summer, and perhaps
not half the eggs hatched. Wherever the
brush should pass by, they will of course come
to life, and there remain till they are suffi-
ciently strong to leave the cotton-like web,
when they instantly crawl to the ground, and
finding the principal part of the tree not fit
food for them, they will be sure to leave it,
and will not deposit their eggs there again :
indeed, I would undertake^ if twenty thousand
clean standard apple trees were planted on
good soil, and treated as will be hereafter
described, that they should be as sound in fifty
years hence as when first planted ; but the se-
lection of clear trees ought not to be unnoticed,
particularly where large orchards are planted.
TO PREVENT THE CANKER IN THE MAIN STEM,
&C. THE MOST NECESSARY.
Par. 101. — To prevent the canker in the
main stem must be allowed by all to be the
most necessary to keep the tree in good bodily
HOW TO APPLY THE COMPOSITION. 85
health ; for it is of little use to keep the tops
of our trees clear, if we allow the body to be
eaten up and killed by piecemeal ; therefore,
as I have before observed, when the insect
changes into the small maggot, which some of
the early ones do in the autumn, it then finds
out its place of residence for the winter, and
the spots generally fancied are those which have
given harbour to previous generations, till from
year to year they so eat away the tree, that we
often see large trees almost eaten through the
body.
HOW TO APPLY THE COMPOSITION TO YOUNG
STANDARD TREES.
Par 102. — I shall first give directions how
to apply the composition to young standard
trees which are sound. When the trees are
dry, put the composition in an open vessel,
add as much water as will make it about the
consistence paint is generally * used : when
mixed thoroughly together, take a brush (a sort
of painter's brush would do) and apply the
mixture up the stem, and likewise to the lead-
ing branches, and if a crack should appear, be
sure do not let the brush pass by, but give that
an extra quantity. If the trees are unplanted, I
should strongly recommend applying it to the
principal roots with the brush, or if your ves-
86 HOW TO APPLY THE COMPOSITION.
sel were large enough, after the roots were
pruned, dip the whole of the root into it, and
the insect would never after get to the roots.
Why I recommend this is, because the in-
sects frequently lay in the roots when they do
not appear on the heads ; and as there is not
a nursery round London, and I believe scarcely
one in England, but what is now very badly
infested with this insect, (although at the plant-
ing season, it is not much to be seen) it is highly
necessary that every one who plants, should use
his utmost endeavours to prevent this disease,
or he had better at once give his money away
than lay it out for apple trees, which would
only stand and -annoy their owners, without
any source of profit or pleasure ; I should
recommend the application of the mixture to
the stem, and leading shoots from the stem,
about March on sound trees, and it will destroy
the eggs of various other insects, at the same
time, just as they are about to hatch. It may
be applied wherever the insect makes its ap-
pearance, at all seasons, for which purpose the
composition should be always kept in reserve.
As the insect is very apt to work its way into
the tree where the branches leave the main
stem, this part should be well brushed, and as
HOW TO APPLY THE COMPOSITION. 87
far up the limbs as you can conveniently
reach, and by keeping the trees clear that
height, you will ensure their being healthy
and flourishing ; for it is a very rare thing to see
a tree cankered, to injure it in the head, unless
it is first cankered in or near the body ; and
there appears to be a great degree of sagacity
about these insects, for they always attack
those trees, by far the most, which are cankered,
and pass by those which are healthy, as if they
were aware they should not be disturbed.
HOW TO APPLY THE COMPOSITION TO OLD
STANDARD CANKERED APPLE TREES.
Par. 103. — The next thing we will attend to
is the old standard trees : now instead of a
preventive, we want a cure, for there are but
few old trees to be found without the disease :
the operation these trees have to go through, I
should advise to be left till after Christmas, as
you would then destroy the insects which are
in the trees, and consequently prevent their
next brood.
In the first place, cut out the canker clean,
(in which you will soon discover plenty of these
small maggots) for where the trees are very
bad you would not be able to get the solution
thoroughly into the parts affected, without first
88 HOW TO APPLY THE COMPOSITION.
cutting away the canker ; this should be done
as far as the tree is at all blemished, till you
come all round to sound bark, otherwise it will
not heal well — and such trees as have moss
on the stems should be thoroughly cleaned
before the mixture is applied ; for this not only
fedtfs on the tree itself, but is a complete har-
boui^for insects. The heads of the trees should
be pruned, taking away all limbs that are
cankered, unless you cut the canker out, and
likewise all branches which are superfluous ;
then apply the mixture thoroughly in all parts
you can as before described ; and wherever
a small crack appears in the bark, be sure
not to forget an extra portion, for there is
almost sure to be a maggot ; also well brush
the parts where the cankef is taken out, and it
will so change the flavour, the insect will never
attack those places again : should the trees be
very bad, you may add a small portion of oil,
about a table-spoonful to a one shilling packet,
and so in proportion to the larger packets.
Why I recommend oil in this case, is be-
cause it will convey the mixture into the cavi-
ties, for if you spill oil on the floor, it will soon
cover a much larger space than where it first
fell, and the quantity recommended will not
injure ; but this addition will be quite unne-
cessary on clean trees, as the composition used
DECAYED TREES TO BE DESTROYED. 89
as directed on the labels, will so change the
flavour of the outer rind, that the insect will
not attack it.
TREES PAST RECOVERY RECOMMENDED TO BE
DESTROYED.
Par. 104. — Where trees are so much eaten
as I have seen some, that the main wood as
well as the bark is decayed, I should recom-
mend such trees to be destroyed, for they are
only an incumbrance to the ground ; and
although they may bear fruit, they are more
loss than profit, for the trees have not strength
to produce good fruit.
I last season took notice of a fine young
standard Scarlet Pearmain about ten years old,
full of fruit, which was very fine, excepting one
branch, and on that the fruit was small,
dwindling, and almost tasteless, with scarcely
any juice ; on examination, I found that limb,
very near the body of the tree, almost eaten
through with the insects, and so much was the
fruit altered in its' appearance, that I supposed
it was another sort of apple on the tree ; there-
fore, this is a proof how it must change the
flavour of our cider, as well as the fruit for
all other purposes.
iO HOW TO APPLY THE POWDER.
HOW TO APPLY THE CHELSEA APPLE POWDEK
TO DWARF TREES, WITH FURTHER PROOFS
OF ITS UTILITY.
Par. 105. — We must now notice the dwarfs-
These trees pruned as described under the head
of pruning, may easily be kept entirely free
from the insect, and consequently canker, by
the following treatment : the trees having at-
tained the height you wish, use the mixture all
up the main branches, but be sure to use it
thoroughly round the branches near the stem ;
it also may be used over the bloom buds,
just before the buds burst. If this is done
thoroughly and with care, so as not to pass
over any cracks or holes, the trees may be
insured against canker with perfect safety. I
have had this summer, together with many of
my friends, an opportunity of witnessing the
good effects of the Chelsea Apple Powder in
this instance, on some apple trees in the garden
of Mr. Jones, Old Brompton, Middlesex. He
having some trees which were very bad with the
disease, intended throwing them away, and two
in particular which stood near together : I told
him they would recover if he used the compo-
sition ; he said he would try it, and by way of
experiment — on the worst of the two,— which
was one mass of corruption, from the root to
ON TRAINED TREES. . 91
the extremities of the shoots ; — the tree, after
cutting away the worst places with the knife,
was dressed all over with the composition :
this was done early in March; it had the
effect of completely destroying the insect, —
caused it to throw out vigorous shoots, — and
every bloom bud that was left on the tree pro-
duced fine fruit, without the appearance of a
maggot, or any other insect, about the tree ;
while the tree which stood by it, was early in
June, as white as a sheet with the insect, and
nearly every shoot and bloom bud curled up
with a small maggot. Mr. Jones left them
standing during the summer in this state, for
any one, who might be so inclined, to see the
contrast; this exhibition has been productive
of both astonishment and conviction ; and will
no doubt continue so to operate on all who
may yet visit the scene.
I could mention many other circumstances,
but none could be more conclusive than the
above, to shew the composition's powerful
effects without the least injury even to the
tender bloom buds.
WHAT MAY RELATE TO TRAINED TREES, &C.
Par. 106. — Trained apples. From what has
already been said, my readers may judge of
92 OBSERVATIONS.
all other ordinary cases, such as may relate to
trained apples, &c., which therefore it is not
necessary to particularise.
OBSERVATIONS.
Par. 107. — Having given a copious account
of this destructive insect, with a remedy, which
I know to be safe, and the best my judgment
could dictate, I must now leave it (and I do
with confidence) in the hands of a generous
public for support.
The great improvements making throughout
the country in the present day, particularly in
horticulture, aided as they are by the first people
in the land, will evidently^ reflect great honour
on the country ; and should I, as an humble
individual, be the means of laying the founda-
tion for once more seeing our apple orchards
flourishing, my ends will be answered.
I am aware from this insect breeding in the
prolific manner it does, that unless it were to
come under government authority, there would
be no chance of effectually eradicating it from
the country, — yet I am convinced, under this
systeni of management, trees are to be kept
perfectly sound and flourishing : — why, I say it
is not likely to be eradicated, unless it is takeu
OBSERVATIONS. 93
in hand by government, is, because we are not
all of one opinion ; s.ome laugh at the idea of dis-
coveries, and say, " I will follow the old school,"
while others will despise them for their apparent
absurdity : however, time proves all things, and
the mortification our neighbours would feel in
having their trees eaten up by the canker, while
ours were healthy and flourishing, would be
perhaps the most effectual way of producing
conviction, and thereby bringing the compo-
sition into general use ; for the fly, finding our
trees not in a fit state for its young, would natu-
rally visit those of our neighbours, who were
inclined by obstinacy to protect them.
As this insect has not been known in this
country above thirty years, and probably not
more than two or three flies of each sex in their
larva or maggot state first imported, it shews
with what facility it breeds ; for there is not a
county in England but what is troubled with
this insect ; in fact, so alarmingly so, that few
gentlemen will plant on a large scale, knowing,
that when the trees ought to be turning to
profit, they are going to decay; the effect of
which is already greatly felt by our agricul-
turalists, whose apples , having grown on dis-
eased trees will not keep, and consequently,
for some years past, our London markets have
94 OBSERVATIONS.
been principally supplied with foreign apples
all through the Spring, at a season when the
price would be of such signal advantage to our
farmers ; in fact, I have been told by respec-
table salesmen, that a great many thousand
pounds worth of French apples is brought into
Covent-garden market every Spring, and the
quantity every year increases ; this is the more
afflicting, when I know that by proper manage-
ment, there is no article at this time the land
could be cropped with on a large scale, which
would tend to a greater source of profit ; and
as the interest equally affects the land owner
and the occupier, their united exertions ought
not to fail in endeavouring to annihilate this
disease.
Although it has been thought by some
nurserymen in the neighbourhood of London,
that the introduction of the Chelsea Apple
Powder would be a great injury to that branch
of the profession, I am confident they have
taken a wrong view of the subject, for instead
of diminishing, I am sure it would cause a much
greater demand for apple trees.
For some years past, dwarf apple trees have
been highly recommended as not being so sub-
ject to the canker ; but those trees in various
OBSERVATIONS. 95
places, to my knowledge, are equally subject
to the disease as they become aged, and con-
sequently, in time people would become tired
of planting altogether.
/• *
Before I finish my observations, I must ask
my readers what we should lose by the total
loss of our apples : First, the loss of one of the
finest productions of our country, — the cider,
for which we are so celebrated.
Secondly, we lose the dessert which this
fruit provides, at seasons when we can scarcely
have any other of our own produce. And
lastly, we lose the pudding and pye, which we
cannot conveniently procure at all seasons from
other fruit, which is from the tart on the King's
table, to the dumpling made for the peasant'^
child, of universal service, as well as a luxury.
96 OK PEARS.
CHAPTER III.
On Pears, Plums, Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots,
Grape Vines, $*c. fyc.
ON PEARS.
Par. 108. — What has already been said on the
culture of apples, will generally apply to pears ;
the budding, grafting, pruning, and general
management being the same, excepting that
they are worked on different stocks. The stock
which is generally used, (and which is decidedly
the best for standard pear trees,) is raised from
the seed of the small wild pear, which like the
true crab is more durable than those grown from
other pears. It has many years been the prac-
tice in France, and several parts of the Con-
tinent, to graft pears on quince stocks, and in
this country they have been found to answer
extremely well as dwarfs, for they come into
bearing much earlier than those on the pear
ON PEARS. 97
stock, and the fruit exceedingly fine, and by
keeping them spurred like dwarf apple trees,
they may be kept within any compass you wish,
as they do not grow near so strong as those on
the pear stock.
Many sorts of pears, which are generally
grown against walls, have got the name of bad
bearers through bad pruning, it being a gene-
ral method to spur them all indiscriminately ;
at the same time, some sorts scarcely ever
bloom except at the extremities of the young
shoots, therefore, if they are removed it is im-
possible to have fruit : from the above cause,
I have seen standard Gansell's Burgamots in the
natural ground, with a fine crop of fruit,
while those against the wall have scarcely had
any excepting at the extremities.
This may be easily remedied, when you have
discovered which sorts bear at the ends of the
shoots, by leaving a sufficient quantity of young
wood for that purpose.
The confusion in the names of pears is quite
equal to the apples ; I shall therefore confine
myself in the explanatory list of pears which
follows, to such sorts as are known to be good ;
and such as are sufficient for all purposes.
98 LIST OF PEARS.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF PEARS.
Par. 109. — 1. Green Chisel; this is a small
green pear, very full of juice, and is remarkably
sweet ; it will ripen in early seasons in July.
2. Red Muscadelle ; is an early pear, large
and handsome, of a yellow colour, and next
the sun rather red ; the flavour is very rich and
fine ; it is ripe about the end of July, and will
frequently produce a second crop in the Au-
tumn.
3. Jargonelle ; this is a fine early pear, ripe
about August ; it is of a green colour with a little
russet next the sun, — it generally bears well.
•!•
4. Windsor Pear ; this is a very fine fruit if
eaten in proper season ; it is of a green colour,
but when quite ripe turns yellow ; it should be
eaten just as it begins to change colour, or it
will soon become mealy and good for nothing ;
it ripens about the end of August.
^
5. Hambden Burgamot; this is rather a
large pear, fine melting flesh and full of juice ;
it is ripe about the end of September.
6. Autumn Burgamot ; this pear, which is o*
rather a small size, and handsomely formed, is
LIST OF PEARS, 99
one of the finest flavoured melting pears in
cultivation ; it is in perfection in October.
\
7. Crasanne; this is a very fine pear for the
wall ; the flesh is very tender, and full of fine
sweet juice ; I know not so good a pear in
December and the beginning of January.
8. Colmar, is a fine rich sweet pear; it is best
adapted for the wall, being a bad bearer as
a standard ; it is in perfection about January.
9.. Virgoleuse ; this is a fine melting pear,
full of rich juice; it would be more generally
cultivated, but in wet seasons they are very apt
to crack ; it ripens about the end of December.
10, St. Germain ; this is a very fine melting
pear, full of juice and a general bearer ; an east
wall will bring the fruit to the greatest perfec-
tion ; at the same time, they will do well as
standards in sheltered situations; they are
ready for the dessert in December, and I have
eaten them in March,
1 1 . Spanish Bonchretien ; this is a good win-
ter pear, and rather generally admired ; it grows
large against a wall, and will keep till January.
F 2
100 LIST OF PEARS.
12. Brown Beurre; this is one of the best
late Autumn pears we have ; they do best
against a wall, where they will grow large, of
a brown colour, and rather tinged with red ; it
is a fine juicy melter; and is in perfection
through November.
13. Winter Bonchretien; this is highly es-
teemed for its long keeping ; it is very large, full
of rich juice, and will keep till June.
14. Chaumontelle ; this is a fine rich juicy
pear ; is a great bearer either as a dwarf or
standard, and will come into eating in December.
15. Poire D'Auch ; this is a handsome green
pear of excellent flavour ; is a good bearer, and
I may add, there are but few winter pears which
equal it; it is fine from December to the end
of March : — it is best suited for the wall.
16. Citron D'Carlmes ; this is rather a small
pear of a greenish colour, it is a great bearer,
and is ripe in July.
17. Williams's Bonchretien; this is a very
juicy fine pear ; is a good bearer, and ripens
about September.
LIST OF PEARS. 101
18. Swan's Egg; this pear is too generally
known to require much comment ; it is of an
egg shape, and of a brownish green colour ; it is
a melting pear, full of very fine flavoured juice,
and one of the greatest bearers in cultivation; it
is ripe in November, and is good at Christmas,
19. Paddington or Tarling; this pear is much
esteemed for its long keeping ; it is a handsome
fruit of a yellowish colour when ripe ; it is good
from March till the end of May — best suited
for the wall.
20. Golden Buerre ; this is a fine fruit, full
of very fine juice with melting flesh; it is in
perfection about November, and is a general
bearer against a wall.
21. Bishop's Thumb ; this pear will do well
for wall or standards ; it is a long brown fruit,
large towards the eye, and tapering towards
the stalk ; it is a great bearer, and is good in
December.
22. Gansell's Burgamot; this pear for its
rich melting flesh, and abundance of fine fla-
voured juice, is decidedly the finest pear of its
season ; it is rather a shy bearer, but will do best
against a wall ; I have often seen fine crops
102 LIST OF PEARS.
on standards; it is in high perfection in
November.
23. Cardiliac; this is a large pear generally
used for baking, and if they can be gathered
sound late in the Autumn, they will be good
for that purpose through the winter ; it is a good
bearer, but being generally cultivated as stan-
dards, and the fruit growing so large, the high
winds are very apt to shake them off.
24. Seckle ; this pear among the new varie-
ties is very much esteemed; it is of a middling
size, full of very fine sweet juice, and will bear
well as standards, — is in eating about October.
25. Maria Louisa; this is a very fine pear;
the flesh is melting and full of fine juice ; the
wood is weeping and best adapted for the wall :
at the present day it is esteemed as highly as
any of the new varieties, and will no doubt be
generally cultivated.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PEARS.
Those marked with an Asterisk(*) are described in the explanatory
List.
Par. 110.—
Ashton Town Awken
* Autumn Burgamot Beurre De Roi
PLUMS.
103
*Bishop's Thumb
Bloody
Britannia
Brocas Burgamot
*Brown Beurre
Burdelieu
*Cardiiiac
Catherine
*Chaumontelle
*Colmar
Colmar D. Pache
*Cresanne
* Citron De Carlmes
Dauphine
*D'Auch or Poire D' Audi
Delicis Lardenpont
Dutch Burgamot
*GanselPs Burgamot
Germain Muscal
^Golden Beurre
Gray Beurre
* Green Chisel
*Hambden Burgamot
Holland Burgamot
^Jargonelle
Lammas
La Pastorelle
Little Muscat
*Maria Louisa
Moorfowl Egg
Napoleon
Orange Burgamot
*Paddington or Tarling
Quos Madam
*Red Muscadelle
*Seckle2
* Spanish Bonchretien
*St. Germain
Summer Burgamot
* Swan's Egg
*Uveders St. Germain
*Vanmons
Vergoleuse
Vine Pear
Williams' Bonchretien
*Windsor
*Winter Bonchretien
WinterRusselet
PLUMS.
Par. Ill . — We have not to complain so much
of the coming of names for plums, as for apples
and pears : nevertheless, a confused nomencla-
ture has found its way among them ; however,
I trust what I shall mention in the explanatory
104 PLUMS.
list will be so clearly described, that every
person will be satisfied of his competency to
decide on each particular sort when he sees
the fruit ; and more especially as plums cannot
be so easily mistaken, because the soils or
situation will not have the same effect in
changing their character, as they have on some
other fruits.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF PLUMS.
Par. 112. — Orleans; this plum is a fine large
rich fruit, it is a great bearer, and good for all
purposes.
2. Fotheringham, is a very good plum ; it is
of a dark red colour, of excellent flavour, and
is a tolerable bearer.
3. Blue Perdigron ; this plum is of a very
dark blue colour, is good flavoured, and ripens
in August.
4. White Bonum Magnum, or Egg Plum ;
this is a very great bearer, the fruit is large, in
the form of an egg, and very handsome ; it is
not a bad eating plum, though it is principally
used for baking ; it ripens in September.
5. Red Bonum Magnum, or Red Imperial ;
PLUMS. 105
this is a large red plum in the form of an egg,
is a good bearer, but like the white, it is princi-
pally used for culinary purposes; it ripens
early in October.
6. La Royale ; is a very fine flavoured plum
of a red colour ; this being rather tender in the
bloom, it succeeds best against a west wall ; it
ripens late in September.
7. Apricot Plum; this is a large fine plum, but
Botmuch cultivated on account of its shy bearing.
8. Drap d'Or; this plum is very much
admired and is a general bearer, particularly
against a wall ; it ripens late in September.
9. Green Gage; this plum is too well known
to require much being said of it ; it is decidedly
the finest plum in cultivation ; it ripens late in
August.
10. Blue Imperatrice ; this is one of the best
late plums we have ; it is best adapted for the
wall, and when perfectly ripe, there is no plum
of its season equal to it for sweetness ; it ripens
in October, and I have eaten fine ones from the
trees in the middle of November.
F3
106 PLUMS.
11. Brignole ; this plumb when thoroughly
ripe is like a sweetmeat, but it is not a very
good bearer • it ripens in September.
12. Saint Catharine; this is a good plum and
is a good bearer; it is ripe in September, and
will hang a long time on the tree.
13. Winesour; this plum is much esteemed
for preserving ; it is a late plum, and is a good
bearer.
14. La Mirabelle; this is a handsome small
yellow plum, very full of juice ; it is ripe about
the middle of September and is a good bearer.
15. Coe's Golden Drop ; this plum is of a
fine amber colour, much in the form of the white
egg plum, and of about half the size ; they bear
well as standards or against the wall, and when
ripe, the flavour is very fine, and certainly the
most beautiful plum for the dessert of its sea-
son ; it ripens towards the end of September.
16. Kirke's fine Red t^lam; this plum, which
comes in just after the Orleans T is large, fine
flavoured, and is a good bearer ; it deserves
to be brought into general cultivation.
LIST OF PLUMS. J07
17. Street's Plum, or St. Lowe; this plum,,
which is a great bearer, exceeds all I ever saw
for size ; it is much in the form of the Orleans,
but considerably larger and very handsome ; it
is of a red colour, and generally carries a good
bloom on the fruit ; they bear well as stand-
ards, or against the wall ; it ripens about Sep-
tember.
18. Blue Gage; this is a most excellent
plum for the wall, the flavour is very fine, and
it is generally a good bearer.
19. Early Orleans; this is rather earlier
than the old Orleans plum ; it is a good bearer,
and the fruit is very much admired.
20. Yellow Orleans ; this is a beautiful trans-
parent plum, nearly as large as the old Orleans,
good flavoured, and very handsome for the des-
sert ; it will bear well as a standard ; it ripens
about September.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PLUMS.
Those marked with an Asterisk (*) are described in the explanatory
List.
Par. 113.-
Admirable Avone
*Apricot Plum *Blue Perdigron
108
CHERRIES,
*Brignole
*Blue Gage
*Blue Imperatrice
Blue Matchless
* Catharine
*Coe's Golden Drop
*Drap D'Or
Early Amber
*Fotheringham
Goliah
* Green Gage
Gross Mirabelle
Jaune Hative
*Kirke's large Red
Kirke's fine new American
*La Mirabelle
*La Royale
*Magnum Bonum White
* Magnum Bonum Red
Mirabelle
Morocco
*Orleans Red
* Early
New Early
* Yellow
Precos De Tours
Pruin
Queen Mother
Reain Claude Violet
Red Diaper
Royal Dauphin
* Street's Large Red
Sharp's Emperor
S toneless
Violet
White Bullace
White Damson
White Imperatrice
White Pear
White Perdigron
*Wine Sour
Yellow Gage
CHERRIES.
Par. 114. — The culture of cherries in this
country being rather large, and profitable to
grow, it is necessary to make a few observations
on the constitution of this tree.
There is no fruit tree I know of more subject
to gum than the cherry, which is frequently
CHERRIES. 109
caused by the land, particularly if the bottom
is strong clay; the most essential point to be
observed in planting orchards of this fruit, is to
select those trees which have been budded
standard high, for those budded within a few
inches of the ground, and trained up for -stan-
dards, are very liable to sink below the bud,
which is almost sure to cause the tree to decay
early.
Likewise, this should always be observed in
planting of dwarf trained cherries, to keep the
bud or graft a few inches above the surface of
the earth ; for if cherries once begin to gum*
they seldom recover. I have given a description
of some of the best sorts, which will be found
in the explanatory list.
There is no stock so durable for budding
and grafting cherries on as the small wild
black cherry, the seed of which should always
be selected for that purpose.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF CHERRIES.
Par. 115. — I. May-duke; this cherry which
ripens early in June against a south wall, is one
of the best cherries in cultivation : they are
great bearers as standards, and the flavour is
very fine.
110 CHERRIES.
2. Ronald's Black heart or Circassian ; this
is a fine large black cherry and good bearer;
it would deserve general cultivation, but the
wood in some soils is very apt to decay; it
ripens early in July.
3. Black heart ; this is a well known good
fruit, handsome, and a good bearer.
4. Arch-duke ; this is an exceeding fine
cherry, larger than the may-duke, and a good
bearer; it is not properly in perfection till
July. This is a valuable cherry to grow for
the market.
5. Morella; this cherry is one of the greatest
bearers, either as standards, or against a wall,
we have in cultivation; it is large and hand-
some, and in the month of October is nearly
black, — at this season it is a great addition to
the dessert ; it is also fine for tarts and j>re-
serving, and by far the best for putting in
brandy.
6. Bleeding Heart; this is a very fine fruit,
is ripe about the middle of July, but it is not a
general bearer.
7. Harrison's Heart ; this by many persons is
CHERRIES. Ill
considered a very fine cherry ; it comes in late
for the dessert, being ripe in August.
8. Black Coroon ; this is a very fine cherry,
and generally is a good bearer ; it ripens in July
and August.
9. Biggerow ; this is a very fine cherry, and is
a great ornament to the dessert in July ; they
will do well as standards, but the fruit will
come finer against a west wall .
10. Kentish; the wood of this cherry very
much resembles the wood of the Morella, and
is one of the best to plant for orchards, the con-
stitution of the tree being strong, and the de-
mand for the fruit great, being consumed in
large quantities for kitchen purposes ; it like-
wise very much resembles the Flemish, for
which it is a good substitute, being a better
cherry and a better bearer.
1 1 . Florence ; this is a most beautiful cherry
for the dessert, and will bear well as standards,
but the fruit will grow larger against the wall,,
— the flavour is excellent.
12. Waterloo; this cherry is one of the
fine productions of Mr. Knight; it is a very
112
LIST OF CHERRIES.
fine sweet flavoured fruit, and tolerably pro-
ductive.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CHERRIES.
Those marked with an Asterisk (*) are described in the explanatory
List.
Par. 116.—
Adam's Crown
Anfoer Heart
* Arch-duke
*Biggerow
*Black Coroon
Black Eagle
*Black Heart
Black Tartarian
* Bleeding Heart
Carnation
Churchill's Heart
Double Blossom
Early May
Elton
Flemish
*Florence
-
Graffion
Harrison's Heart
Holman's late Duke
* Kentish
Kensington Duke
Knight's new Black
Lady Southampton's
Duke
*May-duke
Montmorencie
*Morella
Ox Heart
* Ronald's Black Heart or
Circassian
Waterloo
Weeping
Wentworth Heart
White Heart
M
White Tartarian
APRICOTS.
Par. 117. — Various have been the opinions
respecting the stocks generally used for
budding apricots, as they will grow on the
fv£*7>, muscle, the Brussels, and the common plum
~-< •*"*"****
*f~r~rj&*^'», Af4-?j
LIST OF APRICOTS. 113
stock ; but it is a general opinion (and not with-
out foundation) that those budded on the
Brussels stock are more liable to decay.
Having tried the whole of the above stocks
for years past, I find none so well suited for
Apricots as the common plum stock, usually
called commoners, except the Royal Orange,
which does best on the muscle ; there maybe many
who will not agree with my recommending the
common plum before the muscle, for the Moor
Park, but I give it the decided preference.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF APRICOTS.
Par. 118. — Moor Park; this apricot is con-
sidered decidedly the best in cultivation ;
it is a very great bearer, the fruit is very fine,
and deserves to be recommended before any
other ; — it ripens about the middle of August.
I have seen the Moor Park bear well a*
standards in the open ground.
2. Peach Apricot; this is a fine large apricot,
very, much like the Moor Park, and ripens
about the same time.
3. Turkey ; this is a tolerably good apricot,
LIST OF APRICOTS.
of rather a deep colour, but not very full of
juice, — it ripens late in August.
4. Red Masculine ; this should always be
planted 'amongst a collection, for it comes in
earlier than most other sorts ; it is a small fruit,
red towards the sun when ripe, and is esteemed
for being ready before other sorts, — it ripens
in July.
5. Algiers ; this is a yellow apricot, of
rather a flat shape, and good flavour ; it ripens
in August.
6. Small Orange Apricot; this is a
bearer, and is grown principally for preserving,
and tarts.
7. Royal Orange ; this is a fine apricot of a
yellow colour, — it is ripe in August.
8. Roman ; this is a large yellow apricot of a
good flavour, — it is ripe about the middle of
August.
; *Breda ; this is an excellent apricot, large,
of a yellow colour, full of fine flavoured juice,
and is a good bearer, — ripe about the end
LIST OF APRICOTS. 117
of August: it may be planted as an open
standard.
17. Brussels; this is rather a small apricot,
but is a very great bearer, and is generally
preferred for planting as standards, in the open
ground ; it is of a red colour towards the sur^
and looks very handsome on the trees ; it has
a tart flavour which is generally admired when
grown on the open standards, — it is ripe in
September.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF APRICOTS.
Those marked with an Asterisk (*) are described in the explanatory
List.
Par. -119.—
Alberge Persian
*Algiers Portugal
Black Provence
*Breda *lled Masculine
*Brussels * Roman
Dutch * Royal Orange
Gold Blotched Leaved Temple
Graver's Breda Transparent
*Moor Park *Turkey
*0range White Masculine
*Peach
PEACHES AND NECTARINES.
Par. 120. — Peaches and Nectarines being so
much alike in nature and cultivation, what is
said of one will equally apply to the other ;
116 PEACHES AND NECTARINES.
it appears from the best authorities, that the
almond was the original parent of the above
fruits, and they grow freely budded on the
almond stock, but they are far more durable
when budded on the plum. To enter here into
a detail of the different peaches and nectarines
which grow best on the different sorts of plums,
would be wholly unnecessary, as I do not
consider myself as writing complete and full
instructions to render every one of my readers
competent to fill the arduous labours of a nur-
seryman, and to particularize each would rather
tend to confuse than inform ; suffice it to say,
that neither peach or nectarine will succeed on
the Brussels Stock, and the stocks generally
used for peaches and nectarines which they
like most are the Muscle and Pear plums.
It often occurs, that peaches and nectarines
swell too large for the stock they are budded on ;
this plainly denotes the stock is not suited to
the constitution of that variety ; and this the
nurserymen in the neighbourhood of London
have made their study, and have brought it to
that perfection, as to give them a decided supe-
riority over most of their country contempora-
ries, who, generally speaking, have not suffi-
cient practice in this department ; indeed it is
no small matter of consideration, for it is not
LIST OF PEACHES. 117
only the sum paid for the trees, but the morti-
fication (which can only be known to those
who have experienced it) after having planted
the trees a few years, of seeing them diseased
and gradually dwindling away. Peaches will
grow by grafting, but they never do well, being
sure to gum, and get diseased where the scion
is put on the stock. In the explanatory list
will be found a description of the best sorts,
with their seasons for ripening, &c.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF PEACHES.
Par. 121 — Noblesse ; this peach is large and
handsome, of a red colour where they are ex-
posed to the sun ; it is a fine melter, and very full
of rich juice ; it is a good bearer, and ripens
early in September.
2. Montauban ; this is a fine melting peach,
and full of juice, of a deep red towards the sun ;
it is agood bearer, and ripens earlyin September.
3. Vanguard; this peach is in every respect
so much like the Noblesse that many persons
think it the same, but it is not ; the tree is
rather of stronger growth, and the fruit some-
thing larger ; there is but little difference in
their time for getting ripe.
118 LIST OF PEACHES.
4. Red Nutmeg ; this is a small peach of a
deep red colour, and a good bearer ; it ripens
early in August, for which it is much esteemed.
5. Early Ann ; this peach is admired for
being early ; it is a good peach, and ripens
about the middle of August.
6. Royal George ; this is a fine old peach, of
a high colour next to the sun ; it is full of fine
sweet juice, a good bearer, and ripens early.
7. French Mignonne; this is a large beautiful
peach of a red colour, a fine melter, and full of
sweet juice ; it is a good bearer, and ripens late
in August
8. Royal Kensington; this is a very fine
peach, and considered by many persons to be
the same as the French Mignonne ; some trees
being sent from France as a present to her Ma-
jesty, Queen Charlotte, it was called the Royal
Kensington.
9. Bourdine; this is a fine melting peach, of
a red colour next to the sun ; it is a great
bearer, and ripens about the end of Septem-
ber.
LIST OF PEACHES. 119
10. Red Magdalen ; this is a large beautiful
peach, of a deep red colour, full of fine rich
juice, and ripens early in September. I have
seen this peach bear plentifully on standards
in the open ground.
X
1 1 . Chancellor ; this is a fine old peach, with
melting flesh, full of rich juice, and very hand-
some ; it ripens early in September.
12. Rosanna ; this is one of the greatest
bearers in cultivation; it is of a deep purple
next the sun, and is considered a good peach ;
it will bear _well as a standard in the open
ground ; — it ripens in September.
i
13. Early Gallande ; this peach is highly
esteemed, and is certainly one of the best
peaches we have ; it is a great bearer, very
handsome, and ripens early in September.
14. La Teton de Venus ; this is a fine rich
peach, rather a long form, of a pale red, and
ripens late in September.
15. Early Admirable; this is a large fine
peach, of a beautiful red colour next the sun ;
it is full of fine sweet juice, and ripens early
in September.
120 LIST OF PEACHES.
16. Monstrous Pavie of Pompone; this is
called by our market gardeners a Cling-stone
Peach, but the French call all Pavies which do
not come clean from the stone ; it is cultiva-
ted more for its size and beauty, than its excel-
lence ; it ripens about the middle of October.
17. Grimwood's Royal George; this is a
very fine melting peach, a great bearer, and
ripens late in August.
18. Catharine; this is a late good peach, but
will adhere to the stone; it is of a fine red
colour towards the sun, is rich, and full of
juice ; it ripens late in October.
19. Late Admirable ; this is a very fine melt-
ing peach, handsome, full of juice, and ripens
late in September.
20. Old Newington; this peach is handsome,
and of a deep red towards the sun ; it is tole-
rably full of juice, but it will adhere to the
stone ; — it ripens about the end of September.
21. Double Swalsh ; this is a very fine melt-
ing peach, — is ripe early in September.
22. Smooth leaved Royal George; this is
LIST OF PEACHES. 121
most excellent peach, full of fine rich juice,
handsome, and one of the greatest bearers we
have, — it is ripe early in September.
23. Violet Hative ; this is a fine high coloured
peach, melting flesh, with an abundance of rich
juice; it is a good bearer, and ripens late in
August.
24. Millet's Mignion ; this is a very fine large
melting peach, and excellent for forcing, it
not being so subject to mildew as some sorts ; it
is a good bearer, — is ripe early in September.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PEACHES.
Those marked with an Asterisk (*) are described in the explanatory
List.
Par. 122.-
Acton Scot Downton
Belgarde *Early Admirable
Bell Chevreux * Ann
*Bourdine Avant
Braddick's Purple Avant
BuckinghamshireMignion * Gallande
Catharine Purple
* Chancellor Newington
Double Blossom *French Mignion
* Swalsh *GrimwoocTs Royal George
Montagne Gross Mignion
G
122 LIST OF NECTARINES,
f Incomparable *Nutmeg Red
Java White
*Late Admirable *Red Magdalen
Late Gallande *Rosanna
fLa Teton D1 Venus * Royal Kensington
Lome's Large Melter *Royal George
*Millet<ls Mignion * Smooth Leaved Royal
*Monstrous Pavie of Pom- George
pone ^Vanguard
^Montauban * Violet Hative
*Newington White Magdalen
Nivette Yellow Alberge
*Noblesse
EXPLANATORY LIST OF NECTARINES.
Par. 123. — 1. Elruge ; this is one of the finest
nectarines we have ; it is of a good size, and a
great bearer ; the colour is a dark red towards
the sun, and a yellowish green next the wall ;
the flesh is fine and melting, and full of sweet
juice ; it ripens late in August : it is also a fine
nectarine for forcing.
%
2. Newington; this is a very good nectarine,
and a great bearer, of a fine red colour, — it ad-
heres to the stone, but is full of fine sweet
juice ; it ripens early in September.
3. Red Roman ; this is an old well known
good nectarine, of a deep red or purple next
LIST OF NECTARINES. 123
the sun, and rather yellow on the wall side ; it is
a good bearer, and ripens early in September.
4. Brugnion ; this is a good nectarine, of a
deep red towards the sun, and a pale yellow
next to the wall ; it is fine eating when full ripe
from the tree, but soon loses its flavour after
\t is gathered ; it ripens late in August.
5. Murrey ; this is a very fine nectarine, of
a purple colour towards the sun, large, a good
bearer, full of fine sweet juice, and may be
considered one of the best ; it ripens early in
September.
6. Golden or T emple Nectarine ; this is
handsome, of a light red towards the sun, and
yellow on the wall side ; it has plenty of juice*
and is generally admired ; it ripens late in
September.
7. Violet Hative ; this is a most excellent
nectarine, of a deep red towards the sun; it is
a fine rich melting fruit, full of sweet juice,
and a good bearer ; it ripens late in 'August.
8. Fairchild's Early; this is a small early
, nectarine, of a fine red colour, the flesh is melt-
G 2
124 GRAPE VINES.
ing and full of fine juice ; is ripe about the mid-
dle of August.
9. Vermash ; this is a fine late nectarine, of a
green colour, a little inclined to red towards
the sun ; it ripens late in September.
10. Italian ; this is a fine large nectarine, of
a deep red next the sun, full of rich juice, and
is greatly admired ; it ripens early in Sep-
tember.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NECTARINES.
Those marked with an Asterisk (*) are described in the explanatory
List.
Par. 124.—
Aromatic *! New White
Brugnion Old White
*Elruge Peterborough
*Fairchild's Early *Roman
Genoese St. Omers
*Italian *Temple
* Murrey * Violet Hative
Newfoundland * Vermash
*Newington
GRAPE VINES.
Par. 125c— The principal part of this deli-
cious fruit is grown in hot-houses and vineries,
as our climate will not admit of their coming to
GRAPE VINES. 125
perfection in the open air, excepting a few
sorts. Those will be found in the explanatory
list which will suit the different situations best-
I know of no grape for the open wall to
equal the Royal Muscadine ; it seldom fails to
ripen, is a great bearer, and a most excellent
grape for the dessert ; it also makes very
fine wine.
EXPLANATORY LIST OF GRAPE VINES.
Those marked with W. are for the Watt — those V. are for the
Vinery— and those H. are for the Hothouse.
Par. 126. — 1. Royal Muscadine, by some
called the Malmsey ; this is an excellent grape
for the wall or vinery, the berries when ripe
are of an amber colour, large, round, and very
fine flavoured ; it is one of the best white grapes
we have for the open wall, for it is a great
bearer and seldom fails to ripen. W. V. H.
2. Black Muscadine ; this is a great bearer,
and will often ripen against the open wall ; the
berries are handsome, having a very fine purple
bloom. V.
3. Black Damascus ; this is a very fine large
black grape, full of rich juice, and highly
esteemed. H.
126 GRAPE VINES.
4. White Muscat of Alexandria ; this grape
is in high estimation for the hot-house, the
berries are of a fine oval shape, the bunches
long and large, and the flavour much admired.
H.
5. White Muscat ; this is a good bearer, with
large berries of rather an amber colour. V. H.
6. White Chasselas, called by some the
White Muscadine ; this is a very good grape
for the wall, the berries rather resemble the
Royal Muscadine, but are not so large. W.
7. Red Muscat ; this grape is red, with oval
shaped berries. H.
8. The Black Tripoli; this is a very fine
black grape, with large berries, full of fine rich
juice. H.
9. Black Muscadel has rather a peculiar
flavour, but is generally considered pleasant,
the berries are black, of an oval shape, and
large. H.
10. Red Muscadel ; the bunches of this grape
gro'w very large, and likewise the berries, which
are red. £T.
GRAPE VINES. 127
11. Black Alicant or Spanish; this is a tole-
rably large sized black grape, and the flavour
very generally admired. V. H*
12. Black Frontinac; the berries of this
grape are not very large, full of fine rich juice,
and are greatly admired. V. H.
13. White Frontinac; the berries of this
grape are small and round, the bunches grow
long and tolerably large ; the juice has a very
peculiar flavour, but is, highly esteemed. W.
14. Grizzly Frontinac ; this grape is rather
of a brown red colour, very fine, and generally
admired. V. H.
15. Red Frontinac; the berries of this grape
are rather large, of a dingy red colour ;* it is
considered a very fine grape. V. H.
16. Black Hamburgh ; this grape, for the
hothouse or vinery, cannot be excelled; the
berries are large, round, and handsome, and
the bunches well formed : it is a great bearer,
and of excellent flavour. V. H.
17. Red Hamburgh ; this is a tolerably good
GRAPE VINES.
grape, the berries are of a dark red colour.
V. H.
18. White Sweet Water; the flavour of this
grape is most excellent, the berries are of a
tolerable size, but. the bunches do not grow
handsomely. W. V. H.
19- New White Sweet Water; this is a most
excellent grape, a great bearer, and the bunches
not so irregular as the former. W. V. H.
20. Black Sweet Water; this grape has a
small sweet berry which is very liable to crack,
consequently against the open wall is much
destroyed by birds and flies; it is an early
grape. W. V.
21. Black Cluster; this is a small black
grape, a great bearer, and covered when ripe
with a fine bloom. W.
22. White Raisin; the berries of this grape
are very large, with a thick skin, the bunches
also grow very large and handsome. H.
23. Claret; this grape has small blackber-
ries, with red juice ; it is not an agreeable fruit
to eat, but makes excellent wine. V. H.
GRAPE VINES. 129
24. Lombardy; this is a large red grape,
the bunches grow very large and are full of
rich juice. V. H.
25. St. Peter's ; this grape is very black
when ripe, the berries are large, of an oval
shape, and the bunches very large ; it is a good
grape. V. H.
26. West's St. Peter's ; this is a fine black
grape, now in high estimation, the bunches
come fine, the berries large, and flavour excel-
lent. V. H.
%7. Sir Abraham Pitcher's ; this is a large
fine black grape, and greatly admired. V. H.
28. Black Prince; this is one of the best black
grapes for the natural wall, as it seldom
fails to ripen, the bunches grow large, par-
cularly in the vinery, and the berries, which are
tolerably large, are full of fine sweet juice ; it
is now very much in request. W. V. H.
29. White Tokay; this is a fine grape of very
delicate appearance, but rather a bad bearer. V.
30. Black Portugal ; the berries of this
grape, are of a middling size, and in favourable
130
LIST OF GRAPE VINES.
seasons will ripen against the natural wall ; it is
a good grape. W. V. H.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF GRAPE VINES.
Those marked with andsterisk(*)are described in the expla?ialory
List.
Par. 127.-
Aleppo
*Black Alicant
Cluster
* Damascus
Esperion
Frankendali
*— Frontinac or Mus-
cat Noir
Gibraltar
*— — Hamburgh
• — Lisbon
Morillon
Morocco
* Muscadel
Muscadine
• Muscat
* Portugal
* Prince
* Sir Abm. Pitcher's
* St. Peter's
* Sweet Water
* Tripoli
*Chasselas
*Claret
* Grizzly Frontinac
Golden Galacian
*Lombardy
Malmsey
Miller's Burgundy
Malvoise or Blue Tokay
Muscat of Alexandria
Muscatelle
*New White Sweet Water
*Red Frontinac or Muscat
Rouge
Constant! a
* Hamburgh
*— Muscadel
* Muscat
Raisin
Smyrna
Muscat of Alexandria
Muscat of Jerusalem
Syracuse
*Royal Muscadine
* West's St. Peter's
LIST OF FIGS. 131
*White Sweet Water White Muscat of Lunel
* Frontinac Cornichon
* Muscat of Alex- Hamburgh
andria Olcobaca
Nice Morillon
Parsley Leaved Muscat
* Raisin * Teneriffe
Syrian * Tokay
EXPLANATORY LIST OF FIGS.
Par. 128. — Yellow Ischia, is a large fine
flavoured fruit with a yellow skin and deep red
flesh ; it is ripe about the middle of October.
2. Brown Naples Fig ; this fruit is long, of a
brown colour, well flavoured, and is a good
bearer; it ripens early in October. In good
seasons this fig will ripen well on standards.
3. Green Ischia; this has a thin green skin
with a brown cast ; when ripe the inside is a
deep red inclining to purple ; it is a good fig
and ripens late in September.
4. Malta; this is a fine flavoured, small
brown fig ; the wood is rather tender, but if
the wood ripens well, it is generally a good
bearer ; it ripens early in September.
5. Black Ischia ; this fig is one of the great-
132 LIST OF FIGS.
est bearers we have ; the fruit when ripe is
nearly black, of a small size but finely flavoured;
it is good for forcing, wall or standards, and
ripens early.
6. Large White Genoa ; this is a large fig,
with a thin skin of pale yellow ; it is a fine fruit,
good bearer, and ripens late in August or
beginning of September; it is a good fig for
forcing.
7. Black Genoa ; this is along dark fig, quite
red inside, is fine flavoured, and ripens early.
8. Small White Fig; this is a small pale
yellow fruit, of very good flavour, a great
bearer, and will do well as standards ; it ripens
early.
9. Large Brown Ischia ; this fig grows very
large, — it is brown outside, and purple within,
is fine flavoured, and will often produce two
crops in the year ; it ripens early.
10. Black Italian; this is a small fig of a
very fine flavour ; it is one of the best for grow-
ing in pots, being a very great bearer.
CHESTNUTS, BARBERRIES, &C. J33
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF FIGS.
Those marked with an Asterisk (*) are described in the explanatory
List.
Par. 129.—
* Black Genoa Madona
* Ischie * Maltese
* Italian Murrey
Blue Ischie *Small Early White
Brown Ischie Turkey Large Black
* Naples * White Genoa
Common Blue *Yellow Ischie
* Green Ischie
CHESTNUTS.
Par. 130.—
Golden Striped Spanish
Silver Striped Virginian
BARBERRIES.
Par. 131.—
Black Sweet
Common Red with Stones
Red without Stones
QUINCES.
Par. 132.—
Apple Quince
Oblong
Portugal
134 WALNUTS, RASPBERRIES, &C.
WALNUTS.
Par. 133.—
Black Virginian or French Walnut
Hickery; Large Walnut
Cob Walnut Small Walnut
Double Walnut
FILBERTS AND HAZLE NUTS.
Par. 134.—
Barcelona, or Spanish Nut Cosford Nut
Cluster Wood Nut Dwarf Prolific Nut
Cob Nut Red filbert
Common Wood Nut White Filbert
RASPBERRIES.
Par. 135.—
Double-bearing Red Large Red
White Red Antwerp
Early White Smooth Cane
STRAWBERRIES.
Par. 136.-
Alphine Mathevin Castle
Bath Scarlet New Hautboy
Carolina Pine Apple
Chili Roseberry
Downton Scarlet
Keen's Imperial Suranam
New Seedling Wilmot's Scarlet
Knight's Seedling ' Wood Strawberry
GOOSEBERRIES. J35
CURRANTS.
Par. 137.—
Black American Long Bunched Red
Common Red Common
Large Pale Red Cham- White Common
paigne Dutch
COMMON GOOSEBERRIES IN THIS COUNTRY.
Par. 138.-
Champaigne Large Smooth Dutch Yel-
Common White low
Early Black Smooth Yellow
Green Gascoin' Small Early Red
Hairy and Smooth Red Smooth Green
Large Rough Yellow
RED GOOSEBERRIES.
Alcock's King Fox's Jolly Smoker
Boardman's Royal Oak Hall's Porcupine
Brundret's Atlas Lomax Victory
Chapman's Peerless Mason's Hercules
Dean's Glory of England Taylor's Volunteer
Duke of York Warrington
Farlow's Lord Hood Worthington's Glory of
Fisher's Conqueror Eccles
GREEN GOOSEBERRIES.
Chadwick's Hero Royal Green Gage
Dean's Lord Hood Smith's Mask
Mill's Langley Green Yeates's Duke of Bedford
Reid's Satisfaction
136
GOOSEBERRIES.
WHITE GOOSEBERRIES.
Atkinson's White Hall
Chapman's Highland
White
Davenport's Lady
Gibson's Apollo
Kenyon's Noble
Woodward's Whitesmith
COLLECTION OF VERY FINE SORTS OF GOOSE-
BERRIES.
Ackerley's Double Bearer
Costerdina Goliah
Golden Drop
Goliah Champion
Hampson's bearer
High Sheriff
Jackson's Golden Orange
Layford's Seedling
Monk's Charles Fox
Nixon's Golden Eagle
Bidding's Old England
Royal George
Royden's Triumph
Rumbulion
Sparkler
Supreme Red
White Walnut
Worthington's Lilly
APPENDIX.
Observations on Horticulture generally.
HAVING given a description of all the best
fruits in general cultivation in this country,
I shall now hazard a few remarks on horticul-
ture generally.
The generality of practical horticulturalists
have been inclined to despise the theorist, but
since the study has now become not only a
fashionable but a profitable source of amuse-
ment, it has led many scientific theorists to
furnish the practical man with much useful
information, which the latter has been able to
improve on, and from experiments and prac-
tice, placed England on a level, and, I may add,
in a superior situation to all Foreign coun-
138
APPENDIX.
tries in this respect. The little knowledge I
possess on this subject, as well as gardening
in general, is certainly mainly attributable to
the study of different works which have ap-
peared on these subjects ; but because .their
authors may not have understood practically
what they treated of, is no reason why I should
be the less sensible of the obligations I am
under to them. Yet, it may be said, these
works are mostly produced from ancient wri-
tings, as the substance of most of them was
known and treated of by our forefathers : but
ought this to be allowed to depreciate the
merit of their labours ? Would the practical
man, I would ask, give himself the trouble to
search after these ancient works, did he know
of their existence, putting out of the question
the expense he would be at, (as most books after
a certain date, become scarce, and are then
much enhanced in value,) and would he, when
their attainment was accomplished, find himself
competent to suggest the improvements made
by most modern authors? I will (speaking
collectively) fearlessly answer with regard to
the first, he would not be at the trouble ; and
with the second, he would be fully sensible of
the wide difference between imaginary and
actual powers of improving. Thus might we
proceed in the jog trot pace of antiquity, were
APPENDIX. 139
it not for the intelligence and encouragement
of modern times.
One thing we have much cause to lament,
which is, the premature decay of some of our
most ornamental, and useful timber trees*
particularly the elm, which is caused by a
most destructive insect : the tree is first mal-
treated by bruises on the bark, or otherwise
injured, then follows this destructive insect,
which in one of its stages eats into the tree and
rapidly consumes it ; these serious appearances
are to be discerned extensively in St. James's
Park and many other places. I would here
hazard an opinion, from having made it my
study for many years ; but as the cause may
only have been an oversight in those who have
the care of them, it might appear officious and
misplaced in a work of this nature.
Nevertheless, although I shall pass this, I
cannot avoid making a few observations on the
oak ; and the more especially as it is a tree
(as my most inexperienced readers must know)
which supplies us with the material best suited
to our most important national purposes. Un-
less we use our utmost exertions to ensure a
plentiful supply of this invaluable timber, our
posterity will run the risk of losing the cele-
140 APPENDIX.
brity we have so long maintained for our
wooden walls defence : but this will never be
the case, if the system of transplanting oaks
is abandoned ; if pollard oaks are desirable,
transplant your trees, but if you wish for fine
timber, let your trees remain where your acorns
were sown, as no tree feels the injury of cut-
ting the root like the oak.
I have known the acorn which was sown
in spring make a straight root of upwards of
a yard long by the following autumn, although
not grown more than one foot out of the
ground ; and while this root is allowed to take
the lead, so long will the tree keep a leader
and grow straight ; but when the main root of
the oak is cut, it will be all chance about its
making another leading root ; but, while it re-
mains uncut, although it may meet with stones
or other obstructions, it will find its way and
still keep the lead ; indeed I am fully persuaded
if an oak tree ten years old were planted,
and an acorn planted by it -in the same soil, in
ten years the tree produced from the acorn
would be the tallest, provided the other had
been transplanted; be it understood, that this
is a fact well known by many practical men :
I therefore have mentioned it for the information
of those who are unacquainted with the subject.
APPENDIX. 141
The American oak is very different to the
English ; this tree is very ornamental and fast
in its growth, and will do well from being
transplanted ; I have known them, in this
country, grow upwards of six feet in one
season ; but the wood, from its free growth, is
naturally porous, and more used in this country
for purposes where soft grained wood is neces-
sary, than for its durability ; and as English
oak is known not to flourish in any country like
England, as long as we keep a good supply of
that valuable timber we may always ensure
to ourselves the strongest maritime power in
the world.
Although I have passed over the elms with-
out entering deeply into the cause of the
decay of this valuable tree, I must say, I hope
they will not share the same fate the acacias
did, many years back : the common acacia, of
which I am speaking, is a native of America,
where it is now grown in large quantities, and
equal in durability to any timber which that
quarter of the globe produces. I find, from good
authority, at the firstplanting of the royal gardens
in St. James's Park, a great number of them
were planted by Mr. Mollett, who then had
the laying out of the grounds ; but, when the
trees grew large, the wood being naturally
142 APPENDIX.
very brittle while in a growing state, the strong
west winds, (which this climate is very subject
to in summer,) were in the habit of breaking
the limbs, which so disfigured the trees as to
render it necessary for the beauty of the Park
to remove them ; and although at that time it is
said they were getting into general cultivation,
the destroying the above-mentioned trees was
fatal to the general cultivation by the whole
country. Notwithstanding this tree, from its
beautifully formed leaves, which affords a good
shade, the flowers a sweet smell, and the tree
itself a very fine timber, has never recovered
the unfavourable impression it received at the
above period ; and I have no doubt if such an
example were to be set with the elms, it would
be followed by similar effects in the country,
and deter landowners from planting in the
general manner they have been accustomed to
do, and therefore as the disease can be reme-
died, it ought not to be passed by unnoticed ;
particularly by those who have the care of his
Majesty's woods and forests.
I shall now, previous' to drawing to a con-
clusion, make a few additional remarks on fruit
trees. Among the different diseases and the
causes of those diseases, I find the pear-trees
are subject to a very destructive insect; par-
APPENDIX. 143
ticularly the Green Chisel Pear; this insect
1 have not known many years, neither can
I at present give any account of its origin.
The insects appear to lay their eggs in the
cracks and cavities of the bark, where they*
hatch, and while in quite a young state, they
are a small slender maggot of a whitish yellow
colour ; as they grow they eat into the body of
the tree, and when they get to their full size,
I have seen them full two inches and a half
long, and proportionably stout, of a red colour
and shining black head, out of which it sends
two small claws like a pair of nippers, which
they make use of to eat into the tree. I have
seen large trees, at least three feet in circum-
ference in the stem, completely killed by them :
T last winter took out one of them of the
largest size, from a Green Chisel Pear tree,
belonging to Mr. Street, of Old Brompton;
this was taken from a large limb, where the
insect had scooped out all the centre near the
stem, which caused the wind to blow it off,
and in the hollow, where it had been living,
was at least two quarts of saw-dust, which the
insect had buried itself in.
Should this insect become numerous, and an
effectual remedy not be discovered, the devas-
tation which it may be expected to make, will
144 APPENDIX.
be of no trifling description ; however, I hope
and trust a remedy will be discovered. Mr.
Street, from having become satisfied by re-
peated trials that the Chelsea Apple Powder
greatly encourages, rather than retards the
growth of fruit trees, has made use of it on
this occasion, and seems more and more satis-
fied of its having the desired effect : however,
as its principal object is intended for the pre-
servation of the Apple trees, its further uses
must be left for the public to discover. Thus far
I can say, powerful as it is in its operation on
insects, it will not injure the most tender plant;
but to recommend it for various purposes,
might lead it from the main object, therefore
for the present I wish to confine it to the pre-
servation of the apples.
A person who has made insects his study,
through their various changes, must be lost in
astonishment, when they contemplate the won-
derful sagacity Providence has endowed them
with; who has taught the butterfly or moth,
to select the different vegetables or trees, their
young will thrive best on ; how do they know
their young will become caterpillars, and not be
able to fly about for food like themselves ? — yet
nature has so ordered it, that these destructive
vermin may be provided for : even the large
APPENDIX. 145
fly, which is so fond of getting to meat in sum-
mer ; it is not that she goes there for her own
food, but mainly for the food of her offspring,
seeming to know that if the meat will remain,
it will afford plenty of food for the maggots
which her eggs produce.
I shall not here expatiate on insects, but
conclude by making a few remarks on the
planting of orchards. The first thing to con-
sider when orchards are about to planted,
is the soil which will best suit the different
sorts of fruit ; if it is a fine deep loamy soil,
all kinds of fruit trees will succeed on it ; but
standard apples and pears will not do well on
any other ; plums (although they like loam)
will do well on a sandy or gravelly soil, pro-
vided the gravel be not too near the surface ;
cherries will likewise succeed on various soils,
although they do best on a light loam.
When an orchard is about being planted on
a fertile piece of land, (particularly when it is
intended for family use) the various expla-
natory lists of fruits should be consulted, and
a selection made therefrom (according to the
size of the orchard) of all the different fruits*
consisting of Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries,
Medlars, Walnuts, Chesnuts, Damsons, Mul-
H
146 APPENDIX,
berries and Quinces, the whole of which are
useful in their seasons for the dessert and culi-
nary purposes, although a few only of some
of the sorts will be necessary, they ought to
be planted to complete the orchard.
It is an advisable plan to plant a row of
Walnut trees on the North or North-east side
of the orchard, as they will greatly break
the winds from the bloom of the other trees ; for
although the Walnut is much later than many
fruits in producing its leaves, it greatly assists
in protecting the neighbouring bloom from the
East and North-east blasts, from which it
generally suffers more than from any other
cause, and the Walnut itself from being so late
in the season before it is in bloom, it is less
likely to suffer than most other fruits.
Indeed if we could protect the Peaches and
Nectarines while in bloom, we should have
them as fine and plentiful in the open ground
in this country as they are in America ; but
the Peach and Nectarine producing its bloom
before they put forth their leaves, the cold
East wind, which we are almost invariably
subject to in England, in the early part of the
spring, is too sharp for the tender bloom, and
consequently they seldom produce a crop,
APPENDIX. 147
except in sheltered situations. On the con-
trary, in North America, although they are
subject to very severe weather throughout the
winter, when the frost breaks up and the spring
commences, they generally have a continuance
of fine mild weather, therefore the growth of
this fruit has a preference ; indeed, they are in
the habit of planting orchards of Peaches and
Nectarines as common as we do Apples.
Before 1 leave this subject, it will be neces-
sary to speak of the increasing value land
would be brought to by cultivating it with
Apples-
As one acre contains one hundred and sixty
square rods, and each rod measures sixteen
feet and a half square, if the trees were
planted at a rod apart, it would of course take
one hundred and sixty trees, or if they were
planted wider, say one hundred to the acre :
we have then to consider what would be the
average profit arising from it. In the first place
while the trees are in a young state, the injury
will be so trifling to the under crops, for the
first five or six years, as to be scarcely worthy
of notice ; and by planting good Apples and sure
bearers, in that time their produce would more
than pay every expence of the purchase of the
H 2
148 APPENDIX.
tiees and planting, and from that time the pro-
fits would every year increase as the trees grew
larger ; on the seventh year from planting, sup-
pose you could only ensure one bushel from
each tree, making one hundred bushels, (this
Is putting it at the lowest calculation) and
each bushel worth five shillings, this will
amount to twenty-five pounds, and allowing
every future year the fruit of each tree to
increase in value only sixpence, from the
increasing growth of the tree for twenty years,
which by planting at that distance they would
have sufficient room to do, it would make the
produce of each tree worth fifteen shillings,
and the gross produce of the acre worth
seventy-five pounds per year independent of
the meadow.
In this statement it must be allowed I have
stated the produce at the lowest, having allowed
each tree at the age of twenty- seven years to
produce only three 'bushels, and each bushel at
five shillings ; some persons may say they have
known Apples sold at eighteen pence and two
shillings per bushel, but those were not such
Apples as I have recommended ; I have
known the Sykehouse Apple selling in Covent-
garden market for twenty-five shillings per
APPENDIX. 149
bushel, when many inferior sorts have been
selling at from three to five shillings ; there
are many other sorts equally as valuable as the
Sykehouse, which may be seen by consulting
the explanatory list ; and as the demand for
Apples is, and always will be very great, I
know of no crop the land could produce that
would tend to a more sure or greater source of
profit.
LONDON :
SHACK EM. AND ARROWSMITH, JOHNSON'S COHHT, FLEET-STREET.
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